Oakville Ranch Vineyard

Perched at 1000 ft over the Napa Valley floor, Oakville Ranch is a rugged 370-acre estate. A quarter of the sprawling property is planted to grapes and is the original mountain vineyard of our beloved Oakville viticulture area. The ranch consists of multiple facets, hollows, and aspects, yielding a variety of microclimates within the estate. We pick Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saunders Blocks, a terraced hillside with a northeastern aspect. It is steep, with fewer than twenty rows but nearly seventy-five feet of rise from bottom to top. The softer warmth of the morning sunlight allows for even ripening and long hang time, and the red volcanic soils produce bold, structural tannins.

However, it is the deep experience of Phil Coturri’s farming that makes all the difference. Coturri moved to Sonoma Valley in the early 1970s and is considered by many to be the father of organic grape growing in California. His family-owned and run company handles the farming for approximately 600 acres across both Sonoma and Napa. With over 50 years of experience farming vineyards, he calls Oakville Ranch one of the region’s truly extraordinary places. His steady hand coaxes deep harmonics of flavors and structures that go on and on and on.

The 2023 Napa Valley vintage began with a late bud break following a wet winter and cool spring. The growing season was mild with steady temperatures, leading to even ripening and optimal flavor development. The extended growing period allowed for longer hang time, helping the grapes achieve ideal phenolic ripening. Good acidity and lack of dehydration result in wines with tension and nerve, complemented by mature, plush tannins. The wines from this vintage will be rich without feeling heavy, maintaining a fresh quality that adds complexity.

Kirk Venge decided that this vintage of Oakville Ranch had the fruit and tannin structure to require extended barrel aging. The 2023 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon was aged an additional 6 months in our caves, in new French oak barrels. The result is deeper, more complex flavors with integrated tannins that help this wine shine and make it primed for cellar aging.

2023 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

“A barrel sample shows a dark, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon that is rich and concentrated. Aromatics of ripe black and blue fruits with dark chocolate and floral undertones. The palate is expansive, showcasing notes of blackberries, bramble berries, plum, cassis, slate, and dark chocolate. Savory hints of dried mushrooms and black olives lead to plush, encompassing tannins that create an opulent finish.”