Lorenzi Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019

Everyone loves an up-by-the-bootstraps, humble beginnings story of a self-made man or woman breaking out in his or her chosen field.  Don Lorenzi is as hardworking and ingenious as a university-educated winemaker, yet his classroom was not at an institution but rather in his garage.  Over the last 25 years, Don has trialed and errored, studied winemaking books and resources, and toiled with hand-me-down vines to learn and fall further in love with wine.  What started as an experiment in the family garage blossomed into a thriving family-owned winery with a growing list of accolades and debut projects with friends in the greater California wine industry.

Wine has been a fixture in Don's life since boyhood when he would explore his grandparents' cellar, smelling the distinct aromas of fermenting grapes and aiding in producing the "house" wine crafted for special occasions.  In the early 1900s, Don's ancestors planted a Zinfandel vineyard in the Cucamonga Valley of southern California.  These 100-year-old vines are still in production today and managed by his cousin, who graciously gifted Don 20 vines cloned from the family's Zinfandel in 2000.  Don got to work, and with a little TLC and a bit of luck, his Zinfandel produced a small harvest of fruit, which he transported to his make-shift garage "winery" where he crafted his first homemade wine.  In his words, "one barrel led to another." Soon enough, Don's wines improved, and he began testing his skills with new varietals in small batches to give to family, friends, and anyone interested.  On more than one occasion, he gained access to historical or legendary vineyards through friendships and connections.  So, he established his private label, Lorenzi Estate, to showcase the wines crafted from these vineyards.  From that point forward, it was only up and Don, his wife, Brenda, and daughter, Michelle, built a state-of-the-art winery and developed their 16-acre estate. 

While Don knows Southern California and the Cucamonga Valley like the back of his hand, Lorenzi Estate has always circled the concept of learning and development.  With this taste for discovery in mind, Don looked to expand his winemaking knowledge to the cream of the crop of California regions:  Napa Valley.  Who better to learn from than a Napa winemaking titan like Julien Fayard?  If you're in the know, you can attest to Julien's prowess as the mind behind labels like Somnium, Purlieu, Covert, and Sire.  After years of friendship, in 2019, Don & Julien launched Lorenzi Napa:  a winemaking collaboration focused on crafting a limited series of Napa Valley Cabernets.

Their 2019 debut release blends 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Franc.  The small additions of the Bordeaux varietals create an intriguing, layered complexity of aromas, hitting on Merlot's bright, fruit-forward notes with hints of savory earth from the Malbec and characteristic vegetal tones of Franc.  Aged for 42 months in 100% new French oak, this wine glides across the palate with softened velvet tannins and bursting flavors of black cherry and juicy plum, underpinned by cocoa and spice.  Extended time in the barrel has melded all components, creating a delicious amalgamation that is a joy to open and drink presently but will also reward patience and cellaring.