Messenger Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

True to the heart & style of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is rich & lush with loads of delicious, dark fruit and a touch of French Oak spice.  The vineyards contributing to this wine experienced a delightful summer with generous sunshine and cool, maritime influenced nights. These ideal ripening conditions produced grapes with intense flavor and great complexity.

Composition:  83.8 Cabernet Sauvignon | 4.8 Malbec | 4 Cabernet Franc | 3.8 Merlot | 3.6 Petite Verdot

Tasting Notes:   A fresh and lively nose of black cherry, blackberry, hints of sandalwood, and evergreen.  The tannins are soft and natural, allowing the wine to drink well young but also age gracefully over the next 15 years.  The body is supple and mirrors the nose- blackberry & black cherry are met with subtle anise, tobacco, and spices in the finish: allspice, clove, and  black peppercorns.

Pairings:  Portobella mushroom & fig flat-bread, classic filet mignon, prime rib, braised lamb shank with whipped potatoes, or halibut with white beans and braised greens.

Winemaker: Kat & Rob McDonald - Rob and Kat met in Australia when Kat left California for an opportunity working with a brewery took her from home.  Three years later, Kat returned to the United States with Rob soon to follow.  They founded an import group to bring many of their favorite Australian producers to the United States, Kat would attend law school, and they would plant many a vine to pursue making their own wines.  Their parent portfolio holding, Art+Farm Wine, was founded in 2005 and they have been making wine ever since.

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