Freemark Abbey
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
"The Tribute"
Napa Valley AVA
Auction 25 | Lot No. 45
Vintage: 2019
Freemark Abbey
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
5 cases produced
Highlights
- Your wine was crafted as a tribute to our founder and one of the first female winemakers in the Napa Valley circa 1886, Josephine Tychson
- Made by Kristy Melton, who is Freemark Abbey’s second female winemaker since our establishment
- This wine is 100% single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
- Our dry-farmed, sustainably grown vineyard in St. Helena is more than 30 years old
Description
One of Napa Valley’s original Cabernet Sauvignon houses with a legacy dating back to 1886, the historic Freemark Abbey helped pioneer the California wine industry and has become a beacon of enduring quality and tradition. Freemark Abbey has built its reputation as one of Napa Valley’s most storied and trusted Cabernet Sauvignon houses with a classic, elegant style of winemaking that rewards patience with their incredible age-ability. In fact, the winery has built one of the largest library collections of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons dating back to the mid-1960s. With the appointment of Kristy Melton, she becomes the first female winemaker for Freemark Abbey since our founding by Josephine Tychson.
This lot was chosen by Kristy as “The Tribute” to Josephine in honor of her legacy in St. Helena. It is a dry-farmed, single vineyard Cabernet from the heart of St. Helena. The wine is rich, complex and textured with notes of blackberry, mocha, espresso and baking spices. Its structure is broad with well-integrated tannins that will age well for decades. With this wine, we honor Josephine and all the hard work she put in over a century ago that has led us where we are today.
Wine Facts
- Wine is unfiltered
- Single vineyard wine
- Wine was dry farmed
- Sustainably produced
- Wine is produced in a Napa Green winery
Kristy Melton
Winemaker, Freemark Abbey
Kristy Melton has more than a decade of experience crafting wines with structure, finesse, and age-worthiness. Before joining Freemark Abbey, Kristy held winemaking roles at several Napa Valley and Sonoma County wineries including Clos Du Val, Bootleg, Kendall-Jackson, Saintsbury, and others. In her role as Director of Winemaking at Napa Valley’s iconic Clos Du Val, her exceptional ability to craft modern wines of balance and elegance was widely credited for the winery’s reemergence as a leader in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon production.
An El Paso, Texas native, Kristy graduated with a BS in Biology and Animal Science from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. Following a passion for science, she began her career as a research scientist at the prestigious National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. To afford living in the metropolitan area, she supplemented her wages by bartending and working at a winery in Maryland. This brought her into contact with food and wine aficionados and piqued her interest in both. A family trip to Napa Valley brought the realization of the science that underlies winemaking and inspired her to shift her focus towards wine. She enrolled at the University of California at Davis where she earned a Masters in Viticulture and Enology in 2007.
Honored to be named among Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s "Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers" as well as Drinks Business’ "Top 30 under 40 Winemakers to Watch," Kristy leverages her meticulous attention to detail to craft wines of structure, finesse and balance.
Country born: United States
Education: Master's of Science, Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis
Years in the wine industry: 15-20 years
Honors / Awards:
Wine Enthusiast Magazine's "Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers"
Drinks Business "Top 30 under 40 Winemakers to Watch"
Hi-Time Wine Cellars
250 Ogle Street
Costa Mesa CA 92627-3808
949-650-8463
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from Hi-Time Wine Cellars:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 26 (2022) |
| Freemark Abbey | 2019 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | The Tribute | 25 (2021) |
| Gamble Family Vineyards | 2018 | Red Wine | Oakville | Paramount Proprietary Red Blend - Barrel Select | 24 (2020) |
| Kenefick Ranch Winery | 2018 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Calistoga | 24 (2020) | |
| Krupp Brothers | 2018 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | D7 | 24 (2020) |
| Morlet Family Vineyards | 2014 | Cabernet Franc | Oakville | Le Fabuleux Franc | 20 (2016) |
| PEJU | 2014 | Petit Verdot | Napa Valley | Persephone Vineyard Hebe Block | 20 (2016) |
| Progeny Winery | 2014 | White Wine | Mount Veeder | 20 (2016) | |
| Kenefick Ranch Winery | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Calistoga | Clone Select | 19 (2015) |
| V. Sattui Winery | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Two x Two—Morisoli Brothers Rutherford Dust-Up | 19 (2015) |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Single Barrel Blend | 17 (2013) |
| Robert Mondavi Winery | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | To Kalon Vineyard, Monastery Block | 17 (2013) |
| Summers Estate Wines | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Calistoga | 17 (2013) | |
| Kenefick Ranch Winery | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Calistoga | 16 (2012) | |
| Newton Vineyard | 2010 | Red Wine | Spring Mountain District | The Puzzle | 16 (2012) |
| Somerston Estate | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Gauntlet | 16 (2012) |
| Whitehall Lane | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | The Deep Six | 16 (2012) |
| Fontanella Family Winery | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Melanson Vineyard | 15 (2011) |
| Regusci Winery | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Block 3, Clone 6 | 15 (2011) |
| Grgich Hills Estate | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Yountville | Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon | 14 (2010) |
| Hewitt Vineyard | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Unique Hewitt Vineyard Blend | 14 (2010) |
| Rocca Family Vineyards | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Yountville | 14 (2010) | |
| Rombauer Vineyards | 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Proprietors Reserve Stice Lane | 14 (2010) |
| ZD Wines | Non-Vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 14 (2010) |
| Groth Vineyards and Winery | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Reserve Vineyard | 13 (2009) |
| Larkmead Vineyards | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Larkmead 125 | 13 (2009) |
| Louis M. Martini Winery | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Premiere 254 | 13 (2009) |
| Pine Ridge Vineyards | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 13 (2009) | |
| Silver Oak Cellars | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Atlas Peak | 13 (2009) | |
| Trinchero Napa Valley | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Mario's Reserve | 13 (2009) |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Cabernet Clone Blend with Petit Verdot | 12 (2008) |
| Beringer Vineyards | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | 12 (2008) | |
| PEJU | 2006 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | ASV - Cabernet Sauvignon 50% -Cabernet Franc 50% | 12 (2008) |
| Schrader Cellars, LLC | 2006 | Old Vine Zinfandel | Napa Valley | The Gnarly Cull | 12 (2008) |
| The Terraces | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Quarry Cuvee | 12 (2008) |
| Truchard Vineyards | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Carneros | 12 (2008) |
| Beringer Vineyards | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Ridge to Ridge | 11 (2007) |
| Groth Vineyards and Winery | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Preview | 11 (2007) |
| Krupp Brothers | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 11 (2007) | |
| Louis M. Martini Winery | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 11 (2007) | |
| Regusci Winery | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Block 11 | 11 (2007) |
| Robert Mondavi Winery | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Nostalgie | 11 (2007) |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Clone 6 from BV#1 Vineyard | 10 (2006) |
| Freemark Abbey | 2004 | Red Wine | Rutherford | Right Bank Cuvée | 10 (2006) |
| Pine Ridge Vineyards | 2004 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Bella Oaks Lane | 10 (2006) |
| Silver Oak Cellars | 2005 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | The Baron Duncan's Blend | 10 (2006) |
| Trefethen Family Vineyards | 2004 | Malbec (78% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot) | Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley | Empleon | 10 (2006) |
| Revana Family Vineyard | 2003 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 9 (2005) | |
| Rutherford Ranch Vineyards | 2002 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 9 (2005) | |
| Schramsberg Vineyards | 1994 | Sparkling Wine | Napa Valley | 9 (2005) | |
| Twomey Cellars | 2003 | Merlot | Napa Valley | 9 (2005) | |
| Bouchaine Vineyards | 2003 | Pinot Noir | Los Carneros | 8 (2004) | |
| Jessup Cellars | 2002 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 8 (2004) | |
| Lang and Reed Wine Company | 2002 | Cabernet Franc | Calistoga | Madrigal Vineyards | 8 (2004) |
| Trefethen Family Vineyards | 2002 | Red Table Wine | Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley | OKD 5 | 8 (2004) |
| Grgich Hills Cellar | 2001 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Yountville | 7 (2003) | |
| PEJU | 2001 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Rutherford - HB Vineyard | 7 (2003) |
| Freemark Abbey | 2001 | Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Merlot | Napa Valley | "FREEMARK" | 6 (2002) |
| Lang and Reed Wine Company | 2000 | Cabernet Franc/Merlot | Napa Valley | Right Bank | 6 (2002) |
| Trefethen Family Vineyards | 2000 | Red Table Wine | Napa Valley | Mènage á Trois | 6 (2002) |
| Chimney Rock Winery | 1999 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Special Barrel Selection | 5 (2001) |
| Jessup Cellars | 1999 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Lauer Vineyard | 5 (2001) |
| Ristow Estate | 1999 | Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend | Napa Valley | Quinta de Pedras Vineyard | 5 (2001) |
| Truchard | 1999 | Red Table Wine | Los Carneros | Truchard Estate | 5 (2001) |
| PEJU | 1998 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | HB Vineyard | 4 (2000) |
Winery Distribution
Freemark Abbey is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Domestic:
- California (Regal Wine Company)
International:
- Australia (Joval)
- Bahamas (Island Hotel)
- Belgium (Vinoscoop)
- Bermuda (Goslings)
- Bulgaria (Bibendum)
- Canada (Summit Fine Wines, LCBO, SAQ)
- Canada - British Columbia (Summit Fine Wines)
- Canada - Ontario (LCBO)
- China (Cofco)
- China (Sky Regal)
- Czech Republic (8Wines)
- Guam (Island Beverages)
- Hong Kong (Fine Vintage)
- Japan (Fwines)
- Luxembourg (n/a)
- Netherlands (Verbunt)
- Philippines (Happy Living)
- Puerto Rico (Fine Wine Imports)
- South Korea (A Young)
- Taiwan (St Finesse)
- United Kingdom (OenoFuture)