Olema 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma

Amici Cellars in Napa launched Olema to produce wines from other areas and Sonoma. The focus just as with Amici wines, is sourcing outstanding fruit and making a superb wine that's also affordable. This is their Sonoma Cabernet. It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes hand-selected from premier vineyards in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and Rockpile in Sonoma County.

After fermentation of each separate lot the wine is carefully blended to be elegant and enjoyable. The final cuvee is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec and 2% Petite Verdot aged 14 months in 50% new French oak barrels.

James Suckling scored this 92 points saying "Lots of currants, vanilla and dark berries with walnuts and chocolate. It’s full-bodied, layered and flavorful. This is a rich cab and needs time to come together. Try after 2021."

Decanter Magazine scored this 91 points saying "Lovely aromas of blackberry, currant and savory spice. A heady, full-throttle mix of dark chocolate and nutty nuances build on the richly textured and solidly structured mid-palate, joined by more dense, ripe dark fruit."

Olema Cab was selected by the San Francisco Chronicle as a Wine of the Week. They said "Amazing, high-quality Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and Sonoma are a dime a dozen. But that deliciousness often comes with a high price. That’s part of the reason why I was impressed with the 2018 Olema Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. At $25 a bottle, it’s a textbook example of modern California Cabernet, with all the hallmarks of rich mouthfeel, firm structure and ripe fruit that often come in Cabs that are several times as expensive."