2014 Campana Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 750 ml

Exclusive Sleeper Hit of Alexander Valley

Up in the jagged hills of the Mayacamas mountain range, where some of California’s longest-lived and most age-worthy reds are made, Steve Bell handcrafts each barrel of this old-school, high-toned, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. A veteran vineyard manager for Beringer and Freemark Abbey, his instinct for sites is unparalleled. This bottling hails from a 30-year-old Cabernet vineyard outside of historic Geyserville; beautifully structured with sturdy tannins, giving up fresh notes of cherry, tobacco, and sweet spice, it’s the sleeper hit of Alexander Valley. If this were sold in Napa, expect it to go for three times the price! Never presented for scores, it’s an exclusive, small-production cuvée you won’t find anywhere else.

Steve Bell and his wife Sher refer to themselves as “ag people.” Before the sun has even begun to peek over the horizon, they’ve already had their coffee, fed the horses, and walked the fields. That farm boy work ethic came in handy as Steve began making wine on the side while working at Napa’s legendary Freemark Abbey (which competed in the 1976 Judgment of Paris) and managing Beringer’s vineyards in Knights Valley. Sher learned to listen for the rattle of his trailer when he pulled into the driveway in the evening. That meant he’d scored fruit, and that the two of them were in for a long night of crushing grapes by foot.

Since starting Campana Ranch Winery in 2011, Steve’s gained a cult following for Cabernets that are a throwback to the more traditional style of the 1980s and 90s, when winemakers aimed to make wines of freshness, restraint, nuance, and harmony, tinged with rustic warmth. The Mayacamas range, where this bottle hails from, provides the perfect conditions for crafting that kind of old-school mountain Cabernet. Days can be hot, while nights—particularly at this elevation—can be quite chilly, providing balance. Unlike the warmer, east-facing side of the Mayacamas in Napa, the cooler west-facing half in Alexander Valley makes for dusty tannins with a hint of herbs, achieving Bordeaux-like elegance. 30-year-old vines spider into rich, deep volcanic soil overlaying granitic bedrock, investing the wine with mineral complexity.

Unlike hotter years such as 2013 and 2015, 2014 proved a cooler vintage during the key harvest season, allowing more mineral and spice to shine through in Alexander Valley Cabernets. The growing season got off to a promising start with warm temperatures through spring into early summer. By mid-summer some vineyard managers were slightly concerned that sugar levels were ahead of flavor development, but a refreshingly cool September delayed ripening, resulting in tremendously aromatic wines with fantastic, defined red fruit flavors. The accessibility and finely integrated tannins of the vintage are vividly present in this steal of an Alexander Valley Cabernet.