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Cardinale Winery

Cardinale Winery Description

On the east side on Highway 12 in the Oakville district, you can spot this striking stone winery building perched on its own hill commanding a 360-degree view of Napa Valley. The ultra-exclusive operation is part of the Kendall-Jackson wine domain.

This one-of-a-kind winery makes just one wine — a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend. It is made by hand from distinct and diverse mountain and bench vineyards situated in the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges. The winery produces around 1,000 cases a year from select lots of low-yielding vines. The wine is nurtured through careful mountain viticulture and innovative artisan methods.

During veraison -- the relatively short period during which the firm, green fruit begins to soften and change color -- some of the green clusters of grapes are removed from the vine, allowing the fruit with the most potential to mature. After veraison, a second thinning of remaining clusters further reduces the yield, ensuring that only the ripest and most flavorful grapes are used.

Once inside the winery, the grape clusters are sorted by hand and fermented in open-top fermentors that extract the subtleties of flavor from the skins. Pressing is done in traditional basket presses, with the young wine placed into 100 percent new, tightly grained, French-Chateau-style oak barrels for extensive aging.

At the tasting room the wines are paired with a truly world-class setting. Private tasting quarters are decorated with warm modern touches, and numerous windows frame the expansive views. Tile floors, fireplaces and a lovely patio welcome the visitor. Call for an appointment. The price for currently released wine is $120 per bottle.