2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill

Tasting notes

Deep garnet color with aromas of vanilla, black cherry, sage, and a hint of licorice. This Cabernet Sauvignon displays flavors of dark berry jam, baking spices, cardamom, finishing with silky tannins and powdered cocoa.

The Vineyards

Cecil De Loach has been farming the Russian River Valley for over 40 years and was among a small group of vintners that helped define this area as one of America’s premier growing regions. This Merlot was made from vines grown at Cecil’s Los Amigos Ranch, a vineyard in the Chalk Hill district of the Russian River Valley.

The Winemaking

Upon arriving from the vineyard, our Cabernet Sauvignon is gently destemmed and crushed before being moved to tank to begin fermentation. During this process, we carefully return fermenting wine onto its own “cap” of grape skins to extract all of the color, flavors, and tannins. We then press the remaining skins, and the resulting wine is aged for approximately 20 months in a combination of hand-selected American and European oak barrels.

Specs

• Harvest Date: September 18, 2021
• Estate Bottled: September 1, 2022
• Aging: 20 months in French & American Oak, 30% new
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• pH: 3.45
• TA: .66
• Cases Produced: 3720
• Winemaker: Jason De Loach

2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Merlot, Chalk Hill

Tasting Notes

This single vineyard Merlot displays a deep garnet color. Aromas of ripe strawberries and Rabbiteye blueberries give way to caramel and cedar. Chocolate, cola and spice make this finish smooth and memorable.

The Vineyards

Cecil De Loach has been farming the Russian River Valley for over 40 years and was among a small group of vintners that helped define this area as one of America’s premier growing regions. This Merlot was made from vines grown at Cecil’s Los Amigos Ranch, a vineyard in the Chalk Hill district of the Russian River Valley.

The Winemaking

Upon arriving from the vineyard, our Merlot is gently destemmed and crushed before being moved to tank to begin fermentation. During this process, we carefully return fermenting wine onto its own “cap” of grape skins to extract all the color, flavors, and tannins. We then press the remaining skins, and the resulting wine is aged for approximately 20 months in a combination of 12 hand-selected American and European oak barrels.

Specs

• Harvest Date: October 8-18, 2021
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• pH: 3.50
• TA: .62
• Estate Bottled: September 1, 2023
• Aging: 20 months in French oak, 30% new
• Cases Produced: 1200
• Winemaker: Jason De Loach

What’s Included

6-bottles:

• 3x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Merlot, Chalk Hill
• 3x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill

Case:

• 6x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Merlot, Chalk Hill
• 6x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill

Price Comparison

$492.00/Case for 6x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Merlot, Chalk Hill + 6x 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill at Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery

About The Winery

• Winery: Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery
• Owners: Cecil & Christine De Loach
• Founded: 2003
• Location: Santa Rosa, California

Hook & Ladder Winery continues the legacy of one of the Russian River Valley’s most influential wine families. Founded in 2003 by pioneering growers and vintners Cecil and Christine De Loach, and helmed today by their grandson, winemaker Jason De Loach, Hook & Ladder showcases the diversity of the appellation the family helped to define, in a portfolio of limited-production bottlings from their Russian River Valley estate vineyards. The name Hook & Ladder pays homage to Cecil De Loach’s 17-year career as a San Francisco firefighter.

Available States

AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Estimated Delivery

Thursday, Oct 2 - Monday, Oct 6