Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019. Terroir

After moving to St. Helena in 1977, Craig Handly began working as a label designer with the notorious design studio Colonna-Farrell, where we met a young designer Susan Carpenter, who in time would become his wife. After some time in the design and photography realm, Craig made his foray into wine production by starting Terroir Napa Valley. Craig started making wine and bottling it under his first label back in 2001, long before he took over the Estate Vineyards in St. Helena and started Gibbs Vineyards with his son.

This wine showcases the attention to Napa Valley's staple crop, Cabernet Sauvignon, and at Terroir Napa Valley this focus is largely concentrated on producing single-vineyard wines that express the qualities of each vineyard site. This ethos, that a wine's expression should not only reflect the varietal but the land itself, is the beating heart of the winemaking process.

The vintage of 2019 lent winemakers supremely ripe fruit, the outcome of which is shown in the deep red hue of our staple Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and hints of Malbec and Cabernet Franc. A nose of blackberry, cassis, and chocolate with hints of vanilla gives way to a deep palate of dark cherry, ripe plum, and mocha. This Cabernet Sauvignon is an incredibly food-friendly wine. Pair with a Gorgonzola burger, or a ribeye steak with rosemary butter and roasted potatoes. For dessert, go with bittersweet dark chocolate.

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