2020 Fifty Tons Cabernet Sauvignon

When Founders Chris James and Ames Morison discovered Bell Mountain Ranch, several of the vines were barely hanging on to crumbling terraces. To restore the natural terraces and protect the vines from further destruction, the founders along with Chris James’ father moved 50 tons of rock by hand to restore natural terraces for the vine rows. An homage to their painstakingly hard work to restore the terraces, we’ve named this structured and muscular Cabernet Sauvignon, Fifty Tons. 

The 2020 Fifty Tons Cabernet Sauvignon has a nose of rich thick cocoa and a chocolate explosion with dried black spices. The intricate palate is layered with flavors of sweet jasmine, blackberry paste, fresh vine tomatoes and pipe tobacco. Pair with a juicy steak alongside to create a beautiful symphony with the big bold rich leathery tannins, and decadent toasty and spicy finish.  

Vintage 

With half the average rainfall during the winter and spring, there was very minimal vegetative growth. Cooler spring temperatures and a spurt of heavy rain during flowering led to a very light crop. The combination of these both created concentration, depth, and substantial density in the fruit. Several short heat spikes and a smaller crop load created optimal conditions for early ripening. We were fortunate to pick everything early, escaping any smoke damage from the devastating wildfires throughout California.