Farella Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville 2018

When ACME looks for "old school" Napa wines, we seek labels that embody the good old days of making wines, when it was more of an art and less of a science. Farella Vineyard is just that. Located in the rolling hillsides of the Coombsville AVA, just east of the city of Napa, Farella was the first winery to plant Bordeaux varietals in the area and has been quietly producing restrained and elegant Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, and Sauvignon Blanc for almost forty years. With a mere 26 acres under the grapevine, this modest estate was initially planted in 1979 by Frank Farella. He was first introduced to the valley through his work as Robert and Margrit Mondavi's lawyer. Planted on a west-facing slope, the Farella Vineyard showed itself early on as an outstanding site for Bordeaux varietals. Opus One and Robert Mondavi Winery had a healthy competition for specific rows in the Farella vineyard. Heavy hitters like Far Niente, Paul Hobbs, Pahlmeyer, Quintessa, and Realm have been buying fruit from this unique estate for decades. Despite an ever-growing list of legendary labels seeking fruit from Farella, Frank and his family take a humble approach to winemaking. They remain unchanged by the many trends sweeping through the industry and have stayed true to their winemaking philosophy - to provide delicious, balanced wines that will enhance any meal. Amongst a landscape of ever-expanding estates and capitalistic wine brands, Farella reminds us that Napa Valley hasn't lost all of its early-day charms. Today, Frank's son Tom oversees the direction of the business, and winemaker Ryan Pass continues to produce outstanding table wine, a style that Farella has become so well known for. This wine is classic Farella Cabernet with aromas of black cherry, raspberries, blueberries, and hints of cedar and black tea that lead to a palate with soft yet well-integrated tannins.