The 2017 Clay Shannon Cabernet Sauvignon is almost equal parts Napa Valley and Lake County fruit, but is definitely100% Cabernet and 100% amazeballs.
The featured wine pairing of episode 81: Pairs With Clay Shannon Cabernet and My Super Weird Neighbor
Value Cabernet From Lake County And Napa Valley
Take your GameStop profits, sell a few bitcoins or crack open the kids’ piggy bank. Whatever it takes. If you’re looking for value Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County and Napa Valley, this is your ticket. Get at least a few bottles of this for your weeknight “I need something good but don’t want to raid my top shelf” stash. For under $20 this stuff drinks like something $50-100. The value!! 60% OFF!!!
How do you get big, ripe, expansive quality at a price like this? Simple. First, you source some grapes from high elevation vineyards in Lake County, where the fruit costs way less. Second, you blend in some premium fruit from the Napa Valley floor. Lake County has been the red-headed stepchild of Napa, but in recent years it’s grown into a powerhouse. There’s a good reason Andy Beckstoffer, Fred Schrader and other prolific names invest up there. The volcanic soils and rugged terrain make for perfect growing conditions, while tending the vines cost much less.
The 2017 Clay Shannon Cabernet Sauvignon is textbook Cabernet on all levels: cassis, blackberry, freshly cracked black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, lush with bold black cherry, sweet vanilla, and hints of exotic spices. It has soft mouthfeel, with no hard edges, and it’s composed from back to front. This is your go-to bottle for that weeknight steak dinner, served up simply with taters and veggies. However, if you sneak it into a blind tasting with much pricier reds as we did, it sure can blow minds.
2017 Clay Shannon Cabernet Tasting Profile
The tasting profile of the 2017 Clay Shannon Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the subtle harmony between Lake County and Napa Valley fruit:
| Look: | Deep ruby with crimson highlights, radiating harmoniusly from rim to core |
| Smell: | This is just textbook Cabernet on all levels, cassis, blackberry, freshly cracked black pepper, and all |
| Taste: | Medium to full-bodied, lush with bold black cherry, sweet vanilla, and hints of exotic spices |
| Finish: | Soft mouthfeel, with no hard edges and composed from back to front, cust a straight-up reliable Cab |
| Pairing: | This is your go to bottle for that weeknight steak dinner, served up simply with taters and veggies |
What the winery says:
From the hillside vineyards of North Napa and High Valley Vineyard in Lake County, this Cabernet has the best of both counties. Bright fruit, spice, texture, and all of the tannin comes from the high elevations of Lake County, and dark fruits, old-world characters, and dried herbs come from the lower elevations of Napa County. The merriment of the two creates a rich, velvety aroma with notes of lavender and vanilla wrapping around raspberry and cherry fruits with a long tobacco and red currant finish.
| WINEMAKER | Joy Merrilees |
| VARIETAL | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| VINTAGE | 2017 |
| APPELLATIONS | 49% Napa Valley, 51% Lake County |
| ALCOHOL | 14.2% |
| HARVEST DATES | October 15-20, 2017 |
| BRIX AT HARVEST | 24.8 (Napa) 25.7 (Lake) |
| PH | 3.82 |
| TOTAL ACIDITY | 6.35 g/L |
| AGING | 20 months |
| BARRELS | 59% new 86% French, 14% American oak |
About The Shannon Ridge Family of Wines
Clay Shannon began his career as a vineyard manager, farming wine regions of California. Now owner and visionary leader of Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, his passion is simple: Grow the best fruit possible, while preserving the land for future generations. For Clay, sustainability is not just a philosophy, it’s a way of life. The 2017 Clay Shannon Cabernet Sauvignon reflects this philosophy.
Winemaker Joy Merrilees
Winemaker Joy Merrilees has both domestic and international winemaking and production experience. She previously worked at Steele Wines in Lake County, Kelsey Creek Brewing in California, Margaret River Vintners in Washington, and J. Christopher Wines in Oregon. Over the past decade, Joy also spent time in New Zealand, working at Isabel Vineyard Wines in Marlborough, Valli Vineyards and VinPro Limited in Central Otago, along with Moreworth Estate Winery and Vineyard Solutions in Canterbury. While working at Steele Wines she became familiar with Shannon Ridge vineyards and grapes.
Joy has a B.S. degree in plant science and landscape design from Humboldt State University and over the past decade has taken numerous winemaking courses at Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand and UC Davis California Extension University.
