Inconnu "Alaric" Cabernet Sauvignon Russian River Valley 2018

The Russian River Valley, a beautiful region in Northern California, is most often associated with the production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - it's a little bit cooler climactically than Napa, which lends itself to a longer growing season, and is especially well-suited for slow ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. Laura Brennan stumbled upon a 4-acre vineyard of Cabernet planted in the 1970s, and after a handshake deal with John Bucher she took it over, convincing Bucher to farm the plot no-till organic. She was able to produce 2 vintages off of the vineyard before it was lost to wildfires in 2020, and boy am I glad she made what she did. This wine single-handedly reignited my love for California Cabernet. 95% Sauvignon, 5% Franc, fermented slow and cool and aged 18 months in barrel. Pure, energetic and sublime, the wine rides the perfect line between concentration and elegance with enough density and texture for fans of "bold" Cabernet, and enough rusticity and earthy