von Strasser Winery
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
"Survivor Block"
Diamond Mountain District AVA
Auction 19 | Lot No. 183
Vintage: 2013
von Strasser Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Diamond Mountain District
5 cases produced
Highlights
- Vineyard source for this unique wine is a survivor; planted in the early 1980s onto AXR rootstock
- Our PNV Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a section of our vineyard still thriving on this great rootstock
- 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec
- This wine will survive the test of time and thrive in the bottle for many years to come
Description
The vineyard source for this unique wine is a ‘survivor’. It was planted in the early 1980s onto AXR rootstock; a rootstock which was extremely popular in the California wine industry. AXR vines ripened slower, giving wines of great maturity levels at lower sugars. Unfortunately AXR is also susceptible to a root pest called Phylloxera, and almost all of the early plantings have been replaced with modern rootstocks. This Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a section of our vineyard which still thrives on this great rootstock. It is blended with 15% Petit Verdot and 10% Malbec to create an extracted yet smooth hillside wine.
This Vineyard has survived a test handed down by mother nature and will survive the test of time in the bottle for many years to come.
Rudy von Strasser
Winemaker, von Strasser Winery
I started in the wine business in a roundabout way. I was studying apple farming at University of New Hampshire, and I wrote my senior paper on producing hard-cider using local organic apples. I decided upon graduating that I would like to pursue this dream, but had no mentor to teach me how to make cider. So in 1981 I decided to come to Napa Valley, thinking if I could learn to make wine, I could take this knowledge for my cider.
I worked for about a year at Robert Mondavi Winery, and not only fell in love with wine, but also California. This enthusiasm made me enroll back into college at UCD, where I recieved a second degree, in enology. Upon graduating, I wanted to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon so I looked to connections had in Bordeaux and was able to talk myself into an internship at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, where in 1985 I became the first California intern. Upon returning, I became the enologist at Trefethen for two years, then assistant winemaker at Newton Vineyard for three years. In 1990, I fullfilled the dream and bought a small ranch on Diamond Mountain which now is the home to my winery.
Country born: United States
Education: See above experience section for my comlplete Bio
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Honors / Awards:
'Winery of the Year' for 11 of the past 12 years for Wine and Spirits Magazine; 'Wine of the Year' - Connoisseurs Guide to Fine Wine; 'Value Winery of the Year' - Wine and Spirits magazine 2009; 'Prince of Cabernet' and magazine cover - The Wine News; Gold and Silver Medals in 2011 & 2012 at AWC-Vienna, Austria for Gruner Veltliner
Winemaking Philosophy:
I believe wines should be elegant. The most important flavors of a wine need to be those which come for the vineyard and show the terroir. If a wine carries too much of a winemaker’s “muscle”—like oak, alcohol—then it becomes generic and no longer a product of a place. Since I make seven different bottlings from Diamond Mountain District, I want each vineyard to taste unique due to the soils, exposure, farming techniques, etc.
The Saddle Room
2559 Pratum Avenue
Hoffman Estates IL 60192
847-209-3710
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from The Saddle Room:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellman Family Vineyards | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 21 (2017) | |
| Paradigm Winery | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 21 (2017) | |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Heart and Soul | 20 (2016) |
| Gallica | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | 20 (2016) | |
| HALL | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Estate Block 10 | 19 (2015) |
| von Strasser Winery | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | Survivor Block | 19 (2015) |
Winery Distribution
von Strasser Winery is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.