Trujillo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

For ACME, one of the perks of being located in St. Helena is proximity to everyone. And while we’re always on the hunt for what’s new, sometimes the most surprising wines are found when catching up with old friends. Last week, Michael Trujillo, one of our longtime favorite winemakers in Napa Valley, popped over from his office across town on a crisp fall morning. We spent the better part of an hour relaxing in the post-harvest afterglow, learning about his new release. And then came the tasting part. WOW, this Cabernet is simply stunning! Winemakers only get to practice their craft only once a year, and when you have the experience Mike does, with thirty vintages under his belt, there is something to be said for his wine wisdom. And at under $100, this Cabernet Sauvignon is not to be missed! 

Michael grew up on a cattle and sheep ranch in Colorado, where his grandparents, immigrants from Spain, had settled in the early 20th Century. He was raised with a keen work ethic, surrounded by natural beauty, and always harbored a sense of adventure. During a fateful spring break road trip in the early 1980s, Michael took a detour to Napa Valley to stay with a family friend who owned a small winery; that was it- he was hooked. Michael made the move to California and landed a position helping Jim Allen plant vineyards for Sequoia Grove. He studied under the famed André Tchelistcheff (known as the "Dean of American Winemaking') and Tony Soter (founder of Étude winery) before being promoted to Winemaker and eventually President of Sequoia Grove. In 2011, Michael launched his family label, Trujillo Wines, and hasn’t looked back. His 30+ years of relationship building in Napa resulted in access to grapes from some of the valley’s most prestigious vineyards. And this release exemplifies that, with fruit coming from Howell Mountain, Rutherford, and Oak Knoll.

Featuring all five Bordeaux varietals: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Cab Franc 3% Merlot 2% Malbec 2% Petit Verdot, the 2019 is enticing with abundant dark fruit, lavish tannins, complexity, and balanced structure. The aromas give way to rousing black cherry, black currant, dark cocoa. The wine is framed with alluring hints of clove, cedar, and peppercorn. The flavors are big and plentiful, flaunting opulent black currant, dark cherry, and dark chocolate upfront.