Cambium Vertical Tasting Notes

Discover the rich layers of Sequoia Grove’s four decades in the Napa Valley as you taste through a selection of our carefully cellared flagship wine paired with local artisan cheeses. Experience an awakening of the senses as you are guided through the subtle complexities of each carefully aged bottle and discover why this limited production wine remains our most coveted

2015 Cambium

This big wine has rich aromas of truffles and bright floral notes on the nose. Hints of violet, mocha, and cocoa burst out of the glass. On the palate, mocha and cocoa flavors blend with mulberries and a hint of toasted marshmallow. The medium-bodied palate is layered and rich. Each vintage, the Cambium components are individually selected from the absolute best lots. Decant when young or cellar 10-15 years. 94+ points from Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate

HARVEST & WINEMAKING

Harvest 2015 was one of our earliest years on record. The persistent California drought and a cool spring during bloom led to low yields in the vineyard and an early bud break. Careful irrigation and canopy management were key and allowed our growers to maximize quality and create beautifully ripe and balanced fruit. The wines resulting from the 2015 vintage are some of our favorite to date.

The fruit was hand-picked and the berries were hand-sorted before and after destemming. The juice went through a 2-day cold-soak process before being inoculated with an assortment of French yeast strains. Fermentation temperatures were kept cool to maintain fresh fruit flavors and pumpovers were executed twice daily to extract the rich color and tannins from the skins. After fermentation, the wine was moved to barrel to initiate malolactic fermentation and was racked twice before bottling and extended aging.

GRAPES
The fruit for this wine comes from the best lots grown in Stagecoach (Atlas Peak), Morisoli (Rutherford), Healy (St Helena) and Frediani (Calistoga) vineyards.

WINE STATS
Cases produced: 734
Alcohol: 14.6%
TA: 5.9 g/L
pH: 3.83
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Appellation: Napa Valley
Oak: Aged 20 months in French Oak, 65% New

Media image

2017 Cambium

This big wine has rich aromas of wild blueberries, glazed cinnamon donut, charred meat, and bacon fat on the nose. Cabernet Franc contributes a spicy, red cherry, floral component while the Merlot adds a side note of plum and currant. The medium-bodied palate is layered and rich with flavors of black cherry and cocoa powder. Altogether, the blend is seamless and elegantly round. Each vintage, the Cambium components are individually selected from the absolute best lots. Decant when young or cellar 10-15 years. This wine scored 93 points with Antonio Galloni of Vinous and Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate.

HARVEST & WINEMAKING

The 2017 vintage started with ground water coffers very full due to an exceptionally wet winter, giving us some relief to the years of drought. Fortunately, spring weather was mild and fruit set was solid though still lower than previous vintages due to the previous drier years. Summer contained a few heat events, followed by an impactful one over Labor Day weekend. Growers who had done their due diligence with correct row orientation, sufficient canopy shade, and good vine health were rewarded. All said, it is a vintage that highlights the skill of the winemaker and wine grower.

The fruit was hand-picked and the berries were hand-sorted. The juice went through a 2-day cold-soak process to settle the solids before inoculating with an assortment of French yeast strains. Fermentation temperatures were kept cool to maintain fresh fruit flavors and pumpovers were executed two to three times daily to extract the rich color and tannins from the skins. After fermentation, the wine was moved to barrel to initiate malolactic fermentation and was racked twice before bottling and extended aging.

GRAPES
The fruit for this wine comes from the best lots grown in Healy (St Helena), Lamoreaux (Oak Knoll), Stagecoach (Atlas Peak), and Frediani (Calistoga) Vineyards. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from Healy and Lamoreaux Vineyards, the Merlot is from Stagecoach, and the Cabernet Franc is from Frediani.

WINE STATS
Cases produced: 868
Alcohol: 14.6%
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.80
Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc
Appellation: Napa Valley
Oak: Aged 22 months in French Oak, 80% New for Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% New for Cabernet Franc and Merlot

Media image

2018 Cambium

This wine bursts with aromas of cassis, raspberry, strawberry pound cake, dates, and graphite. Cabernet Franc contributes a spicy, red cherry, floral component while the Merlot adds a note of plum and currant. Background notes of black forest cake, hibiscus tea, cinnamon, lavender, rosemary, and cocoa fill out the nose. The palate is also complex with flavors of espresso and black licorice. This wine is full bodied yet elegant with additional flavors of kirsch and black cherry. Each vintage, the Cambium components are individually selected from the absolute best lots. Decant when young or cellar 10-15 years.

HARVEST & WINEMAKING

The 2018 vintage was ideal for Napa Valley: bountiful coupled with outstanding quality. The year started with heavy winter rains and cool spring weather resulting in late bud break. Good weather during flowering contributed to an even set and ripening. The weather was optimal throughout the growing season without the usual late summer heat spikes. This mild weather allowed for excellent growing conditions for all varietals. This outstanding vintage produced wines with dark color, fresh fruit character, moderate alcohol, and balanced acidity.

The fruit was hand-picked and the berries were hand-sorted. The juice went through a 2-day cold-soak process to settle the solids before inoculation with an assortment of French yeast strains. Fermentation temperatures were kept cool to maintain fresh fruit flavors and pumpovers were executed two to three times daily to extract the rich color and tannins from the skins. After fermentation, the wine was moved to barrel to initiate malolactic fermentation and was racked twice before bottling and extended aging.

GRAPES
The fruit for this wine comes from the best lots in the Healy Vineyard in the famed Sulphur Springs area of the Napa Valley nested AVA of St. Helena (Cabernet Sauvignon), and Stagecoach (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot) in the nested AVA of Atlas Peak. The silkiness and elegance of the valley floor fruit combined with the structure and power of the hillside fruit creates a balanced, rich combination in the blended wine.

WINE STATS
Cases produced: 811
Alcohol: 14.9%
TA: 5.9 g/L
pH: 3.75
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot
Appellation: Napa Valley
Oak: Aged 20 months in French oak, 80% new

Media image

2019 Cambium

The 2019 Cambium bursts with aromas of fine chocolate, violets, and fruit compote with hints of candied blackberry, black raspberry, and cherry. The wine has a thick voluptuousness on the palate, with flavors of complex red and black fruits and graphite coupled with fine-grained tannins intertwined with an acidity that gives the palate a long, nuanced finish. The Cambium red is the signature of the vintage, blending the best lots from the best terroir aged in the best select barrels to give the very best of the vintage. Age 10-15 years.

HARVEST & WINEMAKING
The 2019 vintage was an excellent vintage with tonnage levels close to average. The year began with heavy rains in winter, followed by a few spring showers. Summer weather was moderate and ideal. Outside of anticipated heat spikes in August and September, conditions during harvest were also mild and lovely. The lack of typical morning fog during the growing season seemed to speed phenolic ripeness. The 2019 vintage is high quality, with a signature of freshness, generosity of fruit, and lush tannins.

The greatest wines begin in the vineyard. We work closely with our growers and know our estate fruit intimately. Our goal is individual vine balance for perfect ripening of each cluster. At harvest time, any compromised clusters were left on the vine. The fruit was hand-picked and berries were hand-sorted before and after the destemmer. This wine was hand-crafted in our new state-of-the-art winemaking facility. After primary fermentation in stainless steel, the wine was moved to barrel to complete primary (if necessary) and secondary (malolactic) fermentation in premium French oak. The wine aged in barrel for 20 months, being racked 3 times before bottling. For the first time, this wine is unfined and unfiltered.

GRAPES
The majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon in the 2019 Cambium is from the sweet spot of our Tonella Estate Vineyard, block 10B. The remainder of the Cabernet Sauvignon is from one of the oldest blocks in Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak. The Cabernet Franc is from the nearly dry-farmed Frediani Vineyard, at the base of the Vaca Mountain Range in Calistoga. The Petit Verdot is from one of the highest blocks at Stagecoach, block 3. The silkiness and elegance of the valley floor fruit combined with the structure and power of the hillside fruit creates a balanced, rich combination in the blended wine.

WINE STATS
Cases produced: 805
Alcohol: 14.9%
TA: 5.4 g/L
pH: 3.85
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot
Vineyards: Tonella (Rutherford), Frediani (Calistoga), and Stagecoach (Atlas Peak)
Appellation: Napa Valley
Oak: Aged 20 months in French oak, 75% new

Media image

Read more about the story of Cambium

Cambium: The Essence of Sequoia Grove

Reserve Your Experience

Cam•bi•um

1. A layer of living cells, between the bark and hardwood, that each year produces additional wood and bark.

2. A Sequoia Grove proprietary blend of red Bordeaux varieties hand-selected from the finest wine lots in the cellar.