The 2017 Rutherford has a beautiful, deep garnet colored hue. The aromas are complex and brooding with notes of espresso, cedar, forest floor and blackberry. The palate reveals flavors of cocoa powder, black peppercorn, cigar box, blackberry compote and oak spice. The palate is rich and full, complemented by well structured, integrated tannins.\n \n Producer Information\n Freemark Abbey is a Napa Valley winery located in Saint Helena, California. Established in 1886 by Victorian widow Josephine Tychson, she was the first female winemaker on the record in Napa Valley, and the winery was the 16th bonded winery on record in the region. It was the only winery to have both a red and white wine represented in the famous Judgement of Paris tasting of 1976. Although geographically located just northn of Saint Helena town, Freemark Abbey produces a range of wines from select vineyards in Napa Valley, focusing mainly on Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. Two of the most well known are the Bosché Cabernet and Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet, both sourced from the Rutherford Bench. A smaller amount of different varieties are also made, including Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are predominantly labeled as single varieties. The wines, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignons, are noted for their elegance and longevity. The winery has a storied history. After starting the winery in 1886, Tychson sold the property to her friend Antonio Forni in 1898, who renamed it Lombarda Cellars. Forni built the original winery structure that still stands today. After a twenty-year closure due to prohibition, the property was sold to California businessmen Charles Freeman, Marquand Foster and Albert “Abbey” Ahern in 1939. Combining their names to form Freemark Abbey, the trio established one of the first tasting rooms in the area. The winery was subsequently sold to seven partners in 1967, when the winemaking focus was placed on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. One of the very first vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignons in the Napa Valley was produced three years later, named Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché (for the Bosché vineyard in Rutherford). Over the years, the wines have received much praise from the press, especially after their success in the Judgement of Paris tasting. In 2016, their success culminated when the National Football League seleted the 2013 Freemark Abbey Spring Mountain Fiftieth Reserve Bordeaux Blend as the commemorative Super Bowl 50 wine.
