This wine is bright and sassy. Its aromas and flavors of pure red fruit and lively minerality should make it an excellent pairing choice with slow-cooked, crockpot chicken stew. Producer Information Alexander Valley Vineyards is a Californian wine producer based in Alexander Valley. It was founded in 1962 by Harry and Maggie Wetzel and today, produces a range of red and white wines sourced from vineyards on both sides of the Russian River. Following their purchase of the historic Cyrus Alexander homestead in the Alexander Valley, the Wetzels planted the land to vine and bottled the first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1968. In 1993, an outbreak of phylloxera re-focused the estate's attention on the cultivation of grape varieties best suited to the region, and Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel were planted. The Wetzel Family Estate today comprises more than 283 hectares (700 acres) with a variety of mesoclimates, elevations, exposures and soil types. Grapes come from vineyards in several of the North Coast's most notable AVAs including Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Mendocino County. Alexander Valley Vineyards produces a range of wines under several different ranges, encompassing various styles and grape varieties. The flagship of the portfolio is Cyrus, a Bordeaux-style blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller quantities of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, first released in 1995. Other collections include a range of blended and varietal wines under the Estate Wines and Alexander School Reserve labels. Caberner Sauvignon features heavily but the estate also produces wines from Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Zinfandel and Merlot.
