Matchbook Estate Bottled Red Gravel Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Dunnigan Hills, California

Matchbook celebrates the varietals that thrive out in the warm Dunnigan Hills climate. “Our wines are always fruit first, with oak flavors a supporting element. The whites are pure, 100% varietal, while the reds are blended in the spirit of complexity and character”. As farm kids growing up in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the Giguiere brothers were veritable pyromaniacs, setting numerous things on fire – including the family wheat fields. Over time, the Giguiere boys outgrew their fascination with the flame. But even today they look at the Matchbook brand with fond memories of the fires they once stoked. The 2019 Matchbook Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from grapes grown entirely in the Dunnigan Hills vineyards. The wine opens with the beautiful varietal aromas of mocha, leather and toasty oak. Plush flavors of blackberry, vanilla, deep red fruit and olive tapenade are rich and mouth-coating. The dense flavors surround the tannins for a finish that is well-structured and smooth. The estate grown grapes were gently crushed and fermented in small temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks. A combination of specially selected yeast is used to enhance color and flavor extraction without harsh tannins. The tanks are pumped over several times a day until nearly dry, then pressed and aged the wine in a combination of French, Hungarian and American oak barrels for 12 months. The best barrel lots were chosen for the final blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec and 8% Petit Verdot. 2019 Matchbook Cabernet is a showcase of the quality fruit grown in the red gravel soils of Dunnigan Hills.