95 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravel Series The Vow is the most delicate and reserved of the Gravel Series wines…the tannins are quite supple, while the fruit profile is much more red-leaning. It’s a fascinating wine…Ripe red fruit, blood orange and pomegranate are all pushed forward.”
Tasting Notes
Opening floral aromas of violet, lavender, and rose petal mingle with a luscious dark fruit note and a hint of dried herbs. Enticing flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and plum spread across the palate with a lingering note of cocoa and oak. Well-structured with smooth & supple tannins, this dynamic wine will continue to age for the next 20+ years.
Technical Information
Winemaker: Thomas Rivers Brown & Jeff Plant
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Source: Block 11B, Southeast portion of the Rutherford Estate
Aging: 20 months in 85% new French oak
Production: 15 barrels
Vintage Notes
The 2021 vintage was marked by a second season of drought. The temperatures remained relatively mild, but the dry conditions resulted in smaller, more concentrated grapes with lighter yields and one of the earliest harvest windows to date. Our Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varieties are planted on loose, alluvial soils derived from the volcanic Vaca Mountains, and our “California sprawl” trellis systems provide excellent vine balance and diverse sun exposures.
Vineyard Notes | Block 11B, Rutherford Estate
The southeast portion of our Rutherford property, Block 11B, has a gravel riverbed running throughout, with soils that are extremely porous and retain less water during the growing season. We farm these individual vines with great care throughout the season to produce this deeply concentrated and intensely structured wine.
Hear from our Winemaker, Jeff Plant, and Estate Sommelier, Scott Tracy, as they highlight how the distinctive soils, microclimates, and geography of our Block 11B Rutherford Estate Vineyard results in the creation of The Vow Cabernet Sauvignon.
Gravel Series Membership
Gravel Series Membership offers access to the highly allocated, small-production Gravel Series Cabernet Sauvignons while they are still in barrel through an automatic, recurring futures reservation.
Futures allocations occur three times annually in Spring (Secret Garden), Summer (The Vow), and Fall (Scholars Gate). Wines ship upon release in October of the following year.
To explore this rare opportunity to become a Member of the Gravel Series Membership, please contact our Gravel Concierge. This exclusive membership is extremely limited.
gravelconcierge@roundpond.com | 707.302.2515