Region: St. Helena, California

Vintage: 2021

Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

History: Rivers-Marie was launched in 2002 when Thomas River Brown made a tiny amount of wine from the legendary Summa Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. Today, Rivers-Marie has grown to include not only a blended Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir but also several single vineyard sites from in and around Occidental, including Occidental Ridge, Willow Creek, Silver Eagle, and two separate bottlings from the Summa vineyard, which Thomas and Genevive purchased in 2010. In addition to Pinot, Thomas also makes small amounts of Cabernet and Chardonnay.

Tasting Notes:

The Panek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with notes of smoke, cassis, dried herbs, and graphite. The palate is much darker than in previous years, with blackberry compote, currants, crème de cassis, and violets leading into a long, textured finish with plenty of tannins to buffer all the fruit in the site.