Hank Wetzel produced AVV’s first wines in 1975 and the wine world quickly took notice of the elegant Cabernet Sauvignons from Alexander Valley. The Alexander School Reserve 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon celebrates the Wetzel Family and is our first selection from the family’s home estate. The 7.58 acre valley floor vineyard with alluvial soil is behind the Alexander Valley School and was planted in 1997 to Clones 337 and 8. It has been written that both clones likely originated from early Bordeaux cuttings. They flourish in Bordeaux like soils and climate; a warm, sunny climate punctuated by nighttime cooling like that found in the Alexander Valley. Clone 337 has low yielding vines that produce very tiny berries with concentrated, rich flavors, while Clone 8 produces good fruit strength and herbal character. This small lot was farmed to produce low yields, we cane pruned the vines to 2.8 tons per acre to ramp up the structure and concentration.
In 2008 we had record frosts, generally drought-like conditions and a roller coaster ride of temperatures which additionally reduced yields and led to more concentration in the wine.
Accolades
89 Points - Wine Advocate
From the beginning this lot was something special, it had intense concentration and structure and was richer than our other lots. Prolonged time in French oak barrels after fermentation helped to soften the tannins in this big wine. There are aromas of cassis, black cherry, cedar and earthy notes. Wonderful flavors of cassis, oak, vanilla and black cherry fill the glass along with great structure and length. The intense concentration and a great balance will allow this wine to age gracefully for 10-15 years.