Single Vineyard Series
The Livermore Valley is not a monolithic appellation in terms of weather and soil type. As one moves from west to east temperatures increase, yet in the midst of this general trend, there are many pockets of vineyard with their own signature microclimates.
Only when the quality is great enough do we produce very limited quantities of vineyard-designated Cabernet and release them through our Single Vineyard Series. The SVS designation is the wine lover’s guarantee of complex, age-worthy, delicious, world-class Cabernet from the Livermore Valley and the Steven Kent Winery.
Home Ranch
The oldest of our estate sites, the Home Ranch produces, in its best years, an immensely complex wine with dark fruits, semi-sweet chocolate, and mint notes predominating. Fleshy in the mid-palate with solid, not hard tannins, this wine is a supremely elegant offering. The 2006 vintage is our current release. Only 125 cases were produced in the vintage.
Ghielmetti Vineyard
2006 marks the first release of the Single Vineyard Series Cabernet Sauvignon from our second estate vineyard. A blend of four clones, this wine is exemplified by dark fruits, significant mid-palate-to-finish tannins and great length. Planted in 2000-2002, this 64-acre site (18 acres are devoted to five clones of Cabernet) is quickly becoming the crown jewel of Livermore Valley vineyards. Only 100 cases were produced. This wine will be released late September 2009 and will debut for tasting at The Table.
Smith Ranch
This vineyard, situated about 3.5 miles west of the Winery, has provided us special fruit since 2002. Typified by dark cherry, chocolate, and earthy notes, the Cabernet Sauvignon – Smith Ranch falls between Home Ranch and Ghielmetti Vineyard in terms of tannin—in this case, finishing tannins are quite broad and offer a beautiful platform for the abundantly rich mid-palate. In 2006, only 50 cases of this wine were produced. 5% Petit Verdot was included in the blend to further its complexity and age-worthiness. This wine will be released late September 2009 and will debut for tasting at The Table.