Deep ruby-purple color; bold, ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum, cassis, graphite, tobacco, mint, vanilla, oak, oak spice on the nose and palate.
Dry; full, soft, round tannins; excellent balancing acidity (3.56 pH). Medium-plus body. This is Sebastiani’s flagship wine; 74% of the grapes come from their Old Vines block planted in 1961 (in what was a cherry orchard, thus the name). The remaining fruit sourced from younger estate vines. The 2018 growing season was exceptionally mild and smooth, allowing for very long hang time and ripening. Fruit harvested from October 4 through November 2. The result is a wonderful, rich, ripe fruit effort that is very approachable—after six years—but still has legs for further bottle age.
Grapes crushed, de-stemmed, then hand-sorted using Sebastiani’s “micro-crush” equipment to eliminate stem pieces and botrytised berries. Cold soak followed with saignée to enhance color and concentration of fruit flavors. Wine aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 56% new. Blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot, 2% malbec. 13.9% ABV
Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from Italy in 1895 and started his winery in 1904. A stonemason by trade, he earned the money for the land by quarry-mining the Sonoma hills for cobblestones used to build the streets of San Francisco. By making sacramental wine, Sebastiani was the only winery in Sonoma County to continue operations through Prohibition.
The website notes Samuele cared about his employees and Sonoma: “When the combination of Prohibition and the Depression hit hard, Samuele initiated major projects at the winery to create employment for his neighbors. When there wasn’t sufficient work at the winery, he built around the plaza and constructed a skating rink, motel, theater and meeting hall at the Catholic Church. To keep people employed at the winery, Samuele began canning peaches, pears and nectarines.”
Samuele died in 1944 and his son and his wife, August and Sylvia, purchased the winery from the estate. They expanded the winery and the product line. August died in 1980 and his wife and children, especially his eldest son, Sam, assumed management of the company. They improved quality and instituted a multi-million dollar remodel of the tasting room. But there also was internal family turmoil on the direction various members wanted to go.
The conflict resulted in Don Sebastiani leaving Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery to establish Don Sebastiani & Sons (Donny and August) in 2001. Don Sebastiani & Sons is located in Napa, while Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery—the maker of this wine, and the direct descendant of the original—is located in Sonoma.
Bill Foley purchased Sebastiani in 2008. He and winemaker Mark Lyon lowered production, restricted yields, and acquired more new barrels and winemaking equipment. Today, the winery emphasizes single-vineyard and sub-appellation wines.
Sebastiani Cherryblock Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley 2018 delivers elegance and structure from vines more than 60 years old. Rich and exceptionally delicious, especially after some exposure to air. Ripe, bold fruits. Sebastiani’s premier offering. Drinking very well now, can age several more years. Pair with rich grilled, roasted meats—ribeye, New York strip; beef stew, braised short ribs, slow-cooked brisket; grilled, roasted lamb; gourmet burgers with quality cheese, bacon, sautéed mushrooms; wild game; vegetarian fare—miso-roasted eggplant with tomatoes, dill, shiso, black vinegar; baked pumpkin stuffed with red quinoa in miso vinaigrette; grilled portobello mushrooms; vegetarian moussaka. Cheese—aged cheddar gouda, gruyère; strong blue cheese, roquefort. $145-165
