The Gravel Series ‘Scholar’s Gate’ Cabernet Sauvignon showcases tremendously rich, concentrated flavors, a supple tannin structure, ripe red-fruited aromas, and bright acidity.
96 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravel Series Scholar’s Gate is superb. Rich and explosive, with tons of character…This potent, brooding Rutherford Cabernet hits all the right notes. It’s a gorgeous wine in the making, and my favorite of the three wines in the Gravel Series.”
Tasting Notes
A true expression of Rutherford Dust, this powerful wine is teeming with effusive notes of blackberry, black plum, chocolate, and a touch of rose petal. Elegant and full-bodied, this wine offers notes of black cherry, mulberry, and black currant on the palate with allspice and a hint of sweet oak. Fine-grained tannins lead to a long, lingering finish with a silky mouthfeel. This wine is cellar-worthy and will age gracefully for another 15-20 years.
Technical Information
Winemaker: Thomas Rivers Brown & Jeff Plant
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Source: Red Barn Vineyard, Northeast portion of the Rutherford Estate
Aging: 20 months in 85% new French oak
Production: 13 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 | Red Barn Vineyard, Rutherford Estate
The northeastern section of our Rutherford property, the Red Barn Vineyard, features a gravel streak meandering through three blocks. Meticulously farmed and delivering lower yields of tiny berries, these blocks produce beautifully concentrated flavors, rich aromatics, and ripe tannins.
Hear from our Winemaker, Jeff Plant, and Estate Sommelier, Scott Tracy, as they highlight how the distinctive soils, microclimates, and geography of our Red Barn Rutherford Estate Vineyard results in the creation of Scholar’s Gate 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