Petroni Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Moon Mountain District Sonoma County 2018

Lorenzo Petroni left his native Italy at 17 (fit in a woman’s pantsuit, with a few dollars in his pocket, and little else), and headed to California to make his mark on the world. He opened a North Beach restaurant in San Francisco and fell in love with wine. Soon enough, he had his own estate on Moon Mountain in Sonoma. Sangiovese was his first love, but over the years, cabernet sauvignon thrived on his Poggio alla Pietra estate. This 95 point cabernet sauvignon shines with the best elements of the appellation’s terroir, promising exceptional tension, longevity, and minerality – all for an unbeatable 53% off!

Now, the winery focuses on both Italian and Bordeaux varieties that bottle up the magic of the environment on Moon Mountain: foggy mornings, whip-dry and warm afternoons, craggy soils...not unlike the Tuscan growing grounds Lorenzo grew up around.

Using organic farming techniques, the passionate team at Petroni hand-harvests small batches of grapes each fall in the cool, early morning hours before employing age-old winemaking practices – including sur lie aging prior to racking and barrel aging in French oak – to draw out the best complexity, depth, and balance within the wines. Delectably full-bodied and ever so expressive, this 2018 vintage of Petroni Vineyards cabernet sauvignon makes use of Moon Mountain’s warm afternoon sun and crosswinds from the Bay and the Pacific Ocean – along with the region's rocky and volcanic soils – to produce smaller and thick-skinned grapes that enhance both color and flavor in the wines. At the helm is winemaker Martin Mackenzie, a New Zealand native with 10 years at Stonyridge Vineyard in his homeland, and now with Petroni Vineyards for more than a decade.

This 2018 vintage is an absolutely remarkable mountain cab that’s got all the characteristics you’d hope for: full body, luxurious texture, wonderful smoothness, and ultra-plush on the palate. An exquisitely sumptuous Cali-cab with enduring notes of ripe blackberries, nearly ready plums, cherry cola, crème de cassis, and this savory, smoky herb element that perpetually draws you in for another sip more. A wave of melted dark chocolate offset by crushed Castelvetrano olives and sun-dried rose petals, with grippy and firm tannins, leave the ultimate mouthwatering, lingering finish. This is one intense, complex, richly layered cabernet sauvignon that could easily swing for three times the price. 95 points from Decanter is a heck of a score for Sonoma cabernet sauvignon, especially at our delectable price of under $40! It’s a worthy addition to your cellar, both for now and later, so grab a few to keep around – you’ll be glad you did!

PAIRING IDEAS: Smoke a big ol’ brisket (or grab one from your local BBQ joint), and slap on your favorite fixin’s and sides to go with this big, bad (in a good way) cab!