Baker & HamiltonCabernet Sauvignon 2020- Special Priced 3-Pack

This second vintage comes from the Phillips family, owners of VHR-Vine Hill Ranch, the 70-acre vineyard that encompasses western Oakville’s valley floor into bench and up to the Mayacamas hills. It offers both soil and sun exposure variation. Vine Hill Ranch began in 1959 when Bruce’s father, Bob Phillips, started farming grapes. Most of the fruit continues to be sold to longtime winery clients as well as newer ones who are fortunate to now source from this premier grower vineyard. But since 2008, the Phillips family has kept a little fruit back to produce their own estate Cabernet. And you can’t ask for a better winemaking team than winemaker, Francoise Peschon, and vineyard manager, Mike Wolf. Last week, their assistant winemaker (and my first K. LAZ team member) Isabelle Straka, dropped off a bottle of this new release for me to taste. She told me that a few blocks that typically are the backbone to VHR-Vine Hill Ranch, went into this vintage of Baker & Hamilton, resulting in a lush, focused Cabernet. “It comes bounding out of the glass with notes of juicy blueberries, blackberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, with hints of chocolate box, licorice, and vanilla pod. The medium to full-bodied palate is open-knit and expressive, with plush, velvety tannins and beautiful harmony.” -The Wine Independent.