In the early days, I made Cabernet from the famed Monte Rosso vineyard site on the Sonoma Coast. This is a fabulous and very special site: you can feel it when you walk the rows. The grapes are rich and complex showing ample fruit and a unique juiciness, with incredibly ageability. In 2017, I bought grapes from Napa Valley for the first time.

I teamed up with the Sangiacomo’s and the Nord’s and bought grapes from their vineyard in Oakville. The vineyard is impacted by Bay fog which results in cooler mornings and reliably warm and sunny afternoons, giving the fruit complexity, acidity and a lovely lushness. While this could be described as an opulent Cabernet, it remains restrained and balanced: not over the top.