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Drink now or cellar for up to 15 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. Set in the Stags Leap District which is known for its fabulous Cabernet Sauvignons, Pine Ridge was founded in 1978 by Gary and Nancy Andrus who dreamed of making top quality Bordeaux-style wines in their native California. Today the estate has 160 acres of vineyards spread across five different appellations, Carneros, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Rutherford and Stags Leap District, which gives them tremendous versatility and consistency from vintage to vintage. The fruit for this powerful Cabernet is carefully selected from the estate’s premier Stags Leap District, Oakville and Rutherford vineyards. The fruit is all harvested at night when temperatures are cooler to preserve the natural character and plenty of freshness. Fermentation takes place in neutral tanks with the wine then matured in American oak for 17 months. Seductive notes of raspberry, blackberry pie and cassis dominate the nose, while the first sip reveals hints of dried violets, cocoa, ginger and even fresh basil. There’s a generous full body, grippy and firm tannins and a powerful structure that will respond well to another decade or so in the cellar. The finish is long and clean with plenty of ripe fruit, coffee bean, dark chocolate and spice notes.