Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (The Federalist)

Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour. The Federalist is a Napa Valley-based Californian winery owned by the Terlato Wines that produces a range of handcrafted wines from new vines grown in their own vineyards in several AVAs including Lodi, North Coast, and Sonoma County. Their labels feature images of founding fathers such as Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. Their portfolio includes a duo of red blends aged in barrels previously used for aging Bourbon and a Chardonnay aged in oak barrels from Hungary, France, and America. Small quantities of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Syrah, and Sangiovese are added to the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, selected from different blocks of vines and fermented separately to preserve the typical characteristics of each grape variety. The final wine ages in oak (35% new) for 15 months. The Federalist's Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful wine with an intense aromatic profile with red and black fruit (blackberry, cherry, plum, blueberry, and cassis) and notes of wood and chocolate. On the palate, the wine is juicy, soft, and with a great concentration of fruit. The tannins are velvety, and the finish is persistent and pleasant. It is the ideal wine for a BBQ and, in general, with red meat.