2021 RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2021 was simply a fantastic growing season. Mild weather and a long slow harvest allowed for extended hang time. Weather, pruning, thinning, cooperage and dozens of other factors go into each wine. We are very lucky to have Thomas Rivers Brown to manage all of the winegrowing and winemaking decisions. In deciding to make a Reserve, tasting is believing for us. An extensive barrel tasting with Thomas led to four barrels of supreme quality.

“There are a scant 160 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Souvignon Tench Vineyard The Reserve, which is a tiny barrel selection. It's actually hard to pick a favorite between this and the classic Tench Vineyard, as both are incredible wines, with the Reserve offering darker, powerful aromatics of smoky block fruits, crushed stone, and graphite. A more backward, primordial, massive wine, it hits the palate with tons of fruit, a dense, layered mid-palate, huge tannins, and a great finish. It will probably merit a perfect rating in a decade.“
-98+ points, Jeb Dunnuck
(Drink between 2025-2056)

We are honored to have Gary Crandall of Gray Crane Studios in Jackson, Wy allow us to use his amazing photograph of this beautiful American Bison called “Ghost of the Plains”. For further information on Gary’s work, please visit his web-site at www.graycranestudios.com

2021 OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

We are very excited about our latest offering, our flagship 2021 Cabernet from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville. We are absolutely thrilled with the quality of this vintage, as a long uneventful growing season allowed for copious hang time and a vin de garde.

It has been a long wait for our newest release of our highly acclaimed Riverain Cabernet. In an effort to preserve our highest quality standards, we made no Cabernet in 2020 so this 2021 vintage is ready to go, and worth the wait! We took some time to taste a few bottles of the 2021 over several days. Our first impression was this reminded us of the 2016vintage, pretty high on the power scale, but with that extra delineation and length we are always looking for. 2021 was a Goldilocks year weather wise. No big heat spikes, no cold spells and a slightly under average size crop. Inky dark color, blackberry, iron, cassis and hints of tilled earth on the nose and in the glass. The mild season provided big velvety tannins that arrive late on the palate and there is plenty of Eastern Oakville acid. The balance and the length are what we like best. Mostly Darnajou, Taransaud and Baron cooperage. For those who can’t wait a few years to enjoy this vintage, we definitely recommend a nice decant for early drinking.

“I loved the 2021 Cabernet Souvignon Tench Vineyard from this estate, which hos Thomas Rivers Brown making the wines. Loads of block fruits, iron, block olive, walnut shell, and darker chocolate notes all define the aromatics, and it's a quintessential expression of the vineyard aromatically. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, with beautiful yet substantial tannins, it's another flawlessly balanced, structured, impressive wine in the vintage that needs bottle age. Hide these for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades."

-98 points, Jeb Dunnuck
(Drink between 2025-2056)

2016 SYRAH BENNETT VALLEY CARDIAC HILL

We are thrilled to introduce you to the 2016 Riverain Syrah. Our fruit source is the highly acclaimed Cardiac Hill Vineyard located in the Bennett Valley – AVA. With gorgeous views and a beautifully farmed property, it's no surprise that this location has been producing incredible Syrah for over a decade.

Our unique one-acre block is Northeast facing and located on an extremely steep terrain. The soils and the vigor allow for a naturally balanced yield. The vineyard which is exclusively Estrella River clone (our favorite), produced just over two tons of fruit in 2016.

Our vineyard location is known to be perfect for Syrah, as cool air pushes through the Petaluma Gap and up the Bennett Valley. In 2016, the black olive and lavender components are there to add complexity to the EXTREMELY dark fruit with wonderful aromatics. A bouquet of plums, cassis, lavender, spring flowers and bacon fat. This incredibly sexy Syrah has a terrific balance, and is beautifully layered, delivering a wonderful opulent texture. This wine is produced with 40% whole cluster and no new oak to create a beautiful cross between CA and Northern Rhone. The wine was aged 15 months in one year and older French Oak barrels.

2022 GENERATIONS PINOT NOIR

Our 2022 Silver Eagle “Generations Pinot Noir” builds upon a great foundation laid by our 2019. This wine is a true testament to Thomas’ non-interventionist style that allows the vintage to shine through first and foremost. The mild and even weather in 2022, along with the cool Occidental site, allowed for extended hang time. Picked at a moderate 23.4 Brix on September 19, the vineyard is meticulously farmed and all of the fruit arrived in perfect condition. Fermentation with 30% whole cluster made for a beautifully perfumed, aromatic Pinot Noir.

Offering scents of Christmas spice, cherry, cranberry and some forest floor, the wine’s balance really shines through to a long detailed finish. More Burgundian than the 2019, this has the ethereal quality we love in Pinot Noir. We are thrilled to be working with the Valdez Family and this historic site for many “Generations" to come.

2023 SAUVIGNON BLANC,
Yountville

After a 10-year friendship with Tom Gamble of Gamble Family Vineyards, we finally convinced Tom to sell us some highly sought-after fruit from his beautiful vineyard in Yountville. Having the best fruit combined with Thomas Brown’s winemaking skills, we are thrilled to introduce you to our third vintage of Riverain Sauvignon Blanc!

The wine speaks for itself with a great nose and a beautiful structure laced with stone fruit characteristics of green apple, melon, apricot with a hint of lychees from the tropics. This wine has been mellowed by over 10 months in a combination neutral French oak barrels and stainless steel. Enjoy now before this limited supply is gone for good!