The 2015 vintage marks the 3rd bottling for us from the amazing Stagecoach Vineyards, Pritchard Hill Block I2B. This block lies just 2 miles south of iconic properties like Bryant Family and Colgin Cellars and a stone's throw from Ovid and Continuum. The site is characterized by volcanic and well-drained soils at high elevation.

We harvested our Cabernet Sauvignon from Block I2B on September 10th 5 days earlier than our 2014 vintage. With the grapes optimally balanced between phenolic ripeness, flavor development and acidity the fruit was sorted, de-stemmed and cold-soaked for 2 days before undergoing native yeast fermentation and a 17-day maceration in stainless steel tank. The wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (50% new) for 22 months before bottling.
    

Characterized by early spring frost, drought and heat spikes leading into harvest, the 2015 growing season resulted in low yields of exceptional quality grapes throughout the Napa Valley. As we see these wines come to market in limited numbers the tight allocations are offset by immense quality.

The 2015 Llamas Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon showcases fresh Bing cherry, candied licorice, and wild strawberry, as well as aromas of butterscotch and cola reminiscent of an artisan candy shop. However, this wine is not all sweets. Ample tones of leather, cedar, moss, and tobacco abound, giving it a pronounced complexity. Lean, muscular and silky on the palate, the wine confers flavors of ripe stone fruits, black and red berries complemented by a pop of mint. The earthen elements interwoven with caramelized sugars from the French Oak result in a classic Bordeaux style Cab. With particularly fine tannins that reveal themselves on the back end of the palate, this wine is a seamless joy from start to finish.