E.J. Church Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Reserve Napa Valley

This reserve wine takes its name from E.J. Church, Long Meadow Ranch’s pioneering settler who acquired the property via a patent grant from President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. We have replanted the southwest-facing vineyards which E.J. Church established in the 1870s. These mountain-grown grapes, planted at 1300 feet elevation, develop deep fruit flavors and ripe tannins which are handcrafted into an elegant, balanced wine.

VINEYARD: Estate Bottled

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

HARVEST DATES: 10/8/10 – 10/15/10

ALCOHOL: 13.5 percent

COOPERAGE: 50% new, all French oak

CASE PRODUCTION: 281 cases

FOOD AFFINITIES: Perfect with LMR grass-fed Highland beef, with lamb, or with roasted game

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS: “The 2010 E.J. Church Cabernet Sauvignon shows off the personality of Long Meadow Ranch’s Mayacamas Estate terroir in a cool growing season. The grapes were harvested later in mid-October, which hasn’t happened since 2006. As a result of ripening during autumnal climate conditions, all of this Cabernet’s vibrant varietal character has been retained. The wine is incredibly youthful, so the layered black fruits open slowly in the glass. Its green and earthy notes include green peppercorns, anise, savory brine, and surrounding forest floor. On the palate, the tannins are sweet and coating, which lends incredible entry volume and persistence of layered flavors. Based on the positive evolution of the wine in the glass, this wine has tremendous aging potential.” — Ashley Heisey

GROWING SEASON: The 2010 E. J. Church Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley expresses terroir, the personality of our vineyards in a cool growing season, and the positive effects of decades of winegrowing experience in the same place. The 2010 growing season was cool and late. Patience, confidence and hopefulness influenced the picking decisions that were later in the season than any others in Long Meadow Ranch’s history. We were rewarded with fruit that was ripe indeed and classically structured.

LONG MEADOW RANCH: Owned by Ted, Laddie, and Christopher Hall, LMR employs an integrated, organic farming system, using simple, sustainable methods. Each part of the Ranch contributes to the health of the whole. Vineyards and wine making, olive orchards and olive oil making, cattle and horse breeding all work together in complementary fashion, as do the egg-laying poultry flock and the organic vegetable gardens. All crops are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and are grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.