Hourglass Blueline Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

Hourglass is named for the childhood home and vineyard of founder Jeff Smith on Lodi lane in St. Helena, which happens to be the shortest east/west crossroad between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail; the pinch of the valley, connecting the Hourglass. Four acres originally planted to Zinfandel in 1977, the vines eventually succumbed to phylloxera and were replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1992. The land was farmed meticulously producing small, delicious berries with great complexity thanks to the rocky soil type. After five years of maturation the vines were producing grapes of outstanding quality and the Smith’s started making wine with friend, fellow musician, and consulting winemaker Bob Foley. The 1997 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon released to high acclaim after being thrust into a tasting lineup with the likes of Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, and Bryant Family. In 2006, Jeff and Carolyn Smith along with friends Richard and Maureen Chilton, and Michael and Pam Clark purchased 40 acres in the southeast corner of Calistoga after a year’s long search for a site just as special as Hourglass to build an estate winery. The Blueline Estate is named for the two ancient riverbeds framing the 20-acre vineyard. Construction of the winery began soon after as well planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Malbec alongside the existing Cabernet Franc and Merlot. In 2012, armed with 24 producing acres and a majestic mountainside winery, Hourglass Wines welcomed veteran winemaker and fellow experimentalist Tony Biagi as full time winemaker. Involved in every minute detail from vineyard to cellar, Tony provided the precision and attention to detail required to take Hourglass wines to next level. With the addition of winemaker Tony Biagi, formerly with Duckhorn, PlumpJack and Cade amongst others, Hourglass has continued to push boundaries on their quest for the Holy Grail. Recognizing that everything begins in the vineyard and employing a simple, yet scientific approach to winemaking, Tony has lead Hourglass through its refinement phase in stride. Focusing on the wines structure first, managing color extraction that will push the wines even farther during cellaring and having his hand in every aspect of production affords Tony the insight and intuition to make the well informed decisions required to create these intense, elegant, and bold expressions of both the Hourglass & Blueline Estate vineyards. Layered dimensions define the 2017 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatically, a complex weave of heady floral bands descend into blackberry bramble and cassis, with its tell-tale stripe of crushed stone and graphite providing precision and lift. Richly textured dark red and black fruits envelop the palate, with silky, sleek tannins carrying forward through the long, refined finish. Crackling minerality driven by Blueline’s rocky soils provides a taut counterpoint to the wine’s rich texture.