By Sequoia Grove Winery
2017 Lamoreaux Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

History
Our present-day winery and its 24-acre estate vineyard were part of the original Rancho Caymus land grant given in 1836 to George Yount, the area's first European-American pioneer. Over the years, the property changed hands until it was purchased in 1978 by James and Barbara Allen. The following year, the duo opened a winery in a 100-year-old barn beneath a grove of Sequoia trees, and so Sequoia Grove was born.

Wine Details
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
AVA: Oak Knoll District
Region: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2017

Vintage Details
The 2017 vintage started with groundwater coffers very full due to an exceptionally wet winter, giving us some relief after years of drought. Fortunately, spring weather was mild, and fruit set was solid, though still lower than previous vintages due to the previous drier years. Summer contained a few heat events, followed by an impactful one over Labor Day weekend. Growers who had done their due diligence with correct row orientation, sufficient canopy shade, and good vine health were rewarded. All said, it is a vintage that highlights the skill of the winemaker and wine grower.

Production
The fruit was hand-picked, and the berries were hand-sorted. The juice underwent a 2-day cold soak to settle the solids before inoculation with an assortment of French yeast strains. Fermentation temperatures were kept cool to maintain fresh fruit flavors, and pumpovers were executed two to three times daily to extract the rich color and tannins from the skins. After fermentation, the wine was moved to barrel to initiate malolactic fermentation and was racked twice before bottling and extended aging.
[Information provided by Sequoia Grove Winery]

Wine: Sequoia Grove 2017 Lamoreaux Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Oak Knoll District)
Score/Rating: 94
Review Date: 12/31/2021
Reviewed By: Virginie Boone
Tasting Notes: Thick and herbal, this red shows its cool-climate provenance on the [...] edges of the Mayacamas Mountains, even for a warm year. Structured, malleable tannin and generous oak offer tension and grip, with silky red fruit bright and elegantly presented on the palate.

Wine: Sequoia Grove Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: 2020 - 2032
Review Date: 09/2020
Reviewed By: Antonio Galloni
Tasting Notes: The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard is powerful, dense and super-expressive, with bright floral notes that perk up the ripe red cherry, plum and pomegranate fruit. Hints of espresso, new leather, mint and spice infuse the 2017 with layers of nuance that complement its more opulent leanings very nicely.

Wine: Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Lamoreaux Vineyards 2017
Score/Rating: 92
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink now through 2028
Review Date: 12/31/2021
Reviewed By: James Molesworth
Tasting Notes: Juicy and expressive, showing a mix of blackberry, acai and plum notes, with light anise, bramble and apple wood accents through the finish. Drink now through 2028.

Wine: Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Oak Knoll District Lamoreaux Vineyards 2017
Score/Rating: 92
Review Date: 12/15/2020
Reviewed By: James Suckling
Tasting Notes: Lots of stewed cherries and berry jam on the nose. Crushed walnuts, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Nice finish. Drink now or hold.

Wine: 2017 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard
Score/Rating: (90-92)
Review Date: 10/31/2019
Reviewed By: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Tasting Notes: A barrel sample [...], the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard is deep purple-black colored with preserved plums, creme de cassis, black forest cake and bay leaves scents with notions of tobacco and tree bark. The palate is medium to full-bodied firm, grainy and muscular with earthy sparks, finishing long.

Wine: 2017 Sequoia Grove Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard
Score/Rating: 90
Suggested Drinking Window: 2020 - 2035
Review Date: 01/31/2020
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes: Last of the single vineyards, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamoreaux Vineyard comes from the Oak Knoll District just north of the town of Napa. It [...] gives up a complex bouquet of blackberries, mulberries, baking chocolate, spice box, and hints of espresso. A medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, balanced Cabernet, it can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years.