Stuhlmuller Vineyards Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Red Wine

Stuhlmuller Vineyards Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 

750 ml

95 pts. Wine Enthusiast:

"This estate grown wine is a great find and a great value. Rich black fruits and intricate oak spices form a compelling blend in this well saturated, deep and complex wine. Moderate to full tannins support blueberries, new leather and ginger flavors that expand on the palate and linger on the finish. It will be best from 2027-2037."

91 pts. Wine Spectator:

"Firm, concentrated and well-balanced, offering dense, chewy cedary currant, anise, spice and nutmeg notes that are full-bodied and tannic, with touches of herb and spice."

If you love Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cabernet but aren't thrilled with the price, you need to try Stuhlmuller! Also made with grapes from the Alexander Valley, their vineyards are located next to the Russian River, near Healdsburg in Sonoma County. Considering the quality and deliciousness of this wine, it's an outright steal! - Wine Factor

VINEYARDS

Stuhlmuller Vineyards, located in southern Alexander Valley, converges with two highly regarded Sonoma County appellations, Chalk Hill and Russian River Valley. On its eastern edge, the 150-acre vineyard borders the Russian River. Situated in a location that is part river benchlands and part hillside, the vineyard benefits from its alluvial gravel soils and the rockier soils of the hillside sections.

THE CLONES

The fruit for this Cabernet emphasizes three clones, from seven separate blocks, with vines from 15 to 35 years old. From the river benchland, we use our clone 337 for its fruit-forward black cherry flavors. Hillside clone 7 fruit adds floral layers and classic Cabernet cassis and cherry elements. Our oldest plantings, a field selection from the Belle Terre Vineyard, provide tannic concentration and blue fruit notes.

THE VINTAGE

In a year best described as a “cold start to a warm, fast finish,” the harvest was early, with grape yields light to average due to a variety of water conservation efforts. Nonetheless, the 2021 crop will be viewed as an excellent vintage. Our vines produced pristine grapes, with excellent natural acidity, wonderful balance, and pure varietal flavors. We began harvesting our Cabernet Sauvignon on September 21st and were finished by September 30th with brix ranging from 24.3˚ to 25.7˚.

WINEMAKING

Our Cabernet harvest resulted in several individual native fermentations, without any commercial yeast being added, in a mix of open-top and closed-top tanks. In the closed-top tanks, the must was pumped-over, which added to palate texture; while the open-top tanks had a punch-down regimen, which retained fruit intensity. The wine was racked to 50% new French oak and underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Each lot was aged separately for 18 months before blending, barrel by barrel, into tank just prior to bottling.

THE WINE

The 2021 vintage presented us with a wonderfully structured and refined Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, with splendid aromas of ripe plum, licorice, tobacco, currant, and blackberry pie. The palate offers a plush texture, seamlessly integrated oak and dusty tannins that add definition to the rich flavors of dark berries and crème de cassis, as well as layers of sweet oak and spice. Ample natural acidity provides length and freshness on the finish.

WINEMAKER Zac Childers

COMPOSITION 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot

pH 3.77

TOTAL ACIDITY 5.9 g/l

BOTTLED June 2023

PRODUCTION 1345 cases

ALCOHOL 14.2%