Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Alexander Valley
Vineyard Designation
Toby Lane Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 2021
Titratable Acidity
6.2 g/L
pH
3.70
Aging
22 months in French Oak barrels
Fermentation
Fermented in small, open-top stainless steel tanks with gentle, twice-daily punchdowns over a period of 2-weeks
Bottling Date
July 2023
Residual Sugar
0 g/L
Alcohol %
14.6
2021 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Member Release: February 2025
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
With notes of blackberry, cherry and tobacco, this wine offers power and grace in the same breath. While big and dark-fruited, there is a freshness and line of acidity that carries this wine and along with the firm tannin structure, creates a wine that will age gracefully for years to come.
Vineyard Profile
Located high in the hills of the Southeastern tip of Alexander Valley sits the Toby Lane Vineyard. Tucked back off of Chalk Hill Road in a pocket of tight valleys, Toby Lane opens up to a rolling hillside where Cabernet Sauvignon is grown for our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The gravelly clay loam soil profile is fairly thin and wines from this ranch tend to have nice, firm tannins with a darker fruit profile.
Production Notes
The 2021 growing season started off a bit cold but soon warmed up to normal temperatures. Sonoma County was truly blessed to miss the serious heat waves that affected other parts of California and the Northwest. Instead, we experienced a perfectly “normal” summer with moderate temperatures and foggy mornings. Harvest was a bit earlier than normal, and the ongoing dry conditions lowered yields but the flavor concentration in the grapes was outstanding. We harvest our grapes before dawn in the cooler temperatures before sunrise. The grapes arrive at the winery cold and crisp within just hours of being harvested. We diligently hand-sort and destem; the berries then ferment in open-top, stainless-steel tanks. The barrel regime is different from our estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which uses a mix of American and French, as this wine is aged in 100% French oak barrels.
Winemaker Notes
In a craft that is so dependent on things outside of our control, winemakers are always looking to control as much as possible. In 2021, we had variable weather during bloom and set which means grape clusters were starting their lives at different times in the vineyard and we had some parts that created better, more fuller clusters than others. When mother nature decides to give conditions that lead to lower yields, this is bad from the sense that things may not ripen on the same schedule and there may be less fruit on the vine. The benefit of this is we get more concentrated fruit in what is left, and in the case of 2021, the wines are fantastic. What started out with hand wringing and questions has left us with wines in the bottle that are bright, concentrated and full of life. I suspect we'll be looking back on 2021 as a stellar vintage for years to come!
Food Pairing
Pan seared steak with garlic butter
Production
175 cases
About Flambeaux Wine
Flambeaux are the dancing torchbearers of Carnival night parades. A quintessential symbol of New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition, Flambeaux represent all that we love best about wine—light flickering in a glass, complex flavors dancing across the palate, and a celebration of life.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Alexander Valley
Vineyard Designation
Toby Lane Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 2021
Titratable Acidity
6.2 g/L
pH
3.70
Aging
22 months in French Oak barrels
Fermentation
Fermented in small, open-top stainless steel tanks with gentle, twice-daily punchdowns over a period of 2-weeks
Bottling Date
July 2023
Residual Sugar
0 g/L
Alcohol %
14.6