2018 Ashes & Diamonds " Bates Ranch" Mountain Cuvée No. 3, Santa Cruz Mountain, California, USA

ABOUT THIS WINE

ASHES & DIAMONDS’ Mountain Cuvée “Bates Ranch” is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the historic, four-generation-old Bates Ranch near Mount Madonna, in the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Cabernet Sauvignon grows at a peak altitude of 2,100 feet and an extreme southeast slope of 30%. A few hundred feet below, the old-vine Cabernet Franc, planted in 1972, is dry farmed in well-drained silt soils with inclusions of decomposed, iron-rich volcanic magma pushing up from below the earth. The picks of the two vineyards are staggered and then the grapes are co-fermented by native yeasts. The resulting wine is plush yet primal, with enveloping tannins and relentless length, dark fruit and the unmistakable vibrancy of dry-farmed old vines.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Ashes & Diamonds Winery is a love letter to Napa Valley as it was when it took the world stage in the 1960s, revealing itself, along with Santa Cruz, as a geological wonderland capable of world-class wines.

Located at the gateway of Napa Valley along its main artery, Highway 29, Ashes & Diamonds Winery’s mid-century approach extends to its architecture. As an homage, the iconic zig-zag roof and portholes are a few of the iconic references to the heritage of California mid-century modern design, seamlessly integrated with a state-of-the-art wine production facility surrounded by light, airy landscapes and playful, rolling berms.

Ashes & Diamonds Winery is the ultimate convergence of modern and old-school flavors, committed to offering a wide-ranging group of wines that adhere to an ethos of light-handed winemaking and transparency of terroir.