Oakville Ranch Vineyards
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
"Clea"
Oakville AVA
Auction 23 | Lot No. 146
Vintage: 2017
Oakville Ranch Vineyards
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville
5 cases produced
Highlights
- A triple threat: Three Cabernet Sauvignon clones from three favorite vineyard blocks: Terrace, Roberts and Plateau
- Each component barrel aged separately, then blended to perfect harmony during the last six months
- Aging 22 months, unfiltered: a single vineyard preview of the excellent 2017 vintage
- From organically grown grapes
Description
Our unique Premiere Napa Valley is named after our proprietor Mary Miner’s newest grandchild Clea. Our 2017 "Clea's" Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon represents the distinct concentration of lush fruit flavors, rich mouthful, and aromas that hint at the chaparral surrounding of our celebrated organic mountain vineyards. With concentrated fruit flavors, inky color and lush mouthfeel, this wine was produced from the Terrace, Roberts and Plateau blocks, each component aged separately to optimize the individual character, until blending during the last six months of the 22 months of barrel aging. Unfiltered, this single vineyard wine reflects the famed bedrock soils of the eastern Oakville hillsides that make our mountain vineyards among the most highly sought-after in the nested appellation.
Wine Facts
- Wine is unfiltered
- Single vineyard wine
- Organically produced (also commonly called "organically grown")
Jennifer Rue
Winemaker, Oakville Ranch Vineyards
Jennifer's interest in wine began early, and the Santa Monica native still recalls her disappointment at not being able, at the age of 14, to purchase a bottle of wine to pair with the Father's Day dinner she was preparing.
While her ah-ha wine, a DRC Grands Echzeaux, was decidedly French, Jennifer considers herself a thoroughly California winemaker. After graduating from UC San Diego in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and working in the environmental sciences field, traveling and studying abroad, Jennifer set her sights on winemaking in the Napa Valley.
She began at Franciscan Oakville Estate in 1995 working in the tasting room and moved to the lab, where she worked with her first mentors, Gary Brookman and Frances Rojas. In early 1998 Jennifer became part of the founding winemaking team at what would become Miner Family Winery, beginning in the lab and working the last five vintages of her tenure as assistant winemaker. It was there she received the encouragement and support to establish her own winemaking consultancy.
Jennifer joined Trent Moffett in 2007 as winemaker, where she continues to apply her holistic winemaking philosophy, focus and scientific approach to the Moffett, Screenplay and C&T Cellars wines. With a philosophy of it has got to smell good and feel good to be good, Jennifer's goal is producing lush, balanced and aromatically interesting wines
In 2010 Jennifer joined custom crush house Napa Wine Company as associate winemaker to oversee the barrel aging programs, working and learning with other notable Napa Valley winemakers. In 2014 she joined longtime colleague Anne Vawter for the 2014 growing season and vintage to become onsite winemaker for Anne's major clients in 2015, including Oakville Ranch, the first vineyard Jennifer fell in love with and a continual presence through her 19-vintage career.
Jennifer has worked with every Oakville Ranch winemaker since 1996, and the return to Oakville Ranch's soil after many years of hard work and redevelopment by Phil Coturri, and Mary Miner was a sweet homecoming.
Presenting the thinnest veneer between place and palate is her goal, possible only through a deep intimate knowledge of the vineyard and respectful minimal manipulation in the winery. Jennifer sees success when her hand is invisible, with only the voice of the vineyard coming through clearly.
Country born: USA
Education: UC San Diego - Ecology, Behavior & Evolution and Spanish Literature
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
Presenting the thinnest veneer between place and palate is her goal, possible only through a deep intimate knowledge of the vineyard and respectful handling in the winery. Jennifer sees success when her hand is invisible, with only the voice of the vineyard coming through clearly.
Vignoble Bed and Breakfast
2970 Silverado trail north
St Helena CA 94574
707-967-8377
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from Vignoble Bed and Breakfast:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Mare Wines | 2018 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 24 (2020) | |
| Smith Devereux | 2018 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | Upside Down IBEX | 24 (2020) |
| Oakville Ranch Vineyards | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Clea | 23 (2019) |
| Bouchaine Vineyards | 2017 | Pinot Noir | Los Carneros | Best Barrel | 22 (2018) |
| Schweiger Vineyards | 2015 | Red Wine | Spring Mountain District | Mr. Hyde's Blend | 22 (2018) |
| Matthiasson | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Atlas Peak | 21 (2017) | |
| Patland Estate Vineyards | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 21 (2017) | |
| Prime Solum | 2013 | Cabernet Franc | Napa Valley | Block 1 | 20 (2016) |
| Robert Biale Vineyards | 2013 | Petite Sirah | Napa Valley | The Pet Project | 19 (2015) |
Winery Distribution
Oakville Ranch Vineyards is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.