E&J Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon California

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma. Bold, ripe blackcurrant fruit flavours make this a very versatile wine (12 x 75 cl)

A rounder, fuller version of the varietal, with blackberries and blackcurrants on the nose and palate, firm tannin but creamy finish. (12 x 75 cl)

. (3 x 3 Litres)

This wine has dark sweet fruit and licorice flavors layered with spice and white pepper accents. The wine is medium bodied with structured tannins providing balance and elegance for a pleasurable drinking experience on its own or to be easily paired with food. (6 x 75 cl)

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma (6 x 75 cl)

With attractive berry-fruit flavours, and hints of plum and spice. (12 x 75 cl)

Medium-bodied wine with intense varietal flavours of cherry and raspberry, and a hint of toasted oak complexity. (12 x 75 cl)

Winemaking has been a tradition in the Gallo family for almost 70 years and the Estate bottled range is one of their flagship wines. The grapes were specifically selected by the Gallo winemakers from one of their family vineyards, Stefani Vineyard, located in Sonoma County. Sonoma is situated 100 km north of San Francisco, west of Napa, and alongside the Pacific Ocean. In the northern region of Sonoma County lies Dry Creek Valley, where Stefani Vineyard rests in the central corridor. Vines were first planted here by the Stefani family at the turn of the century. The soil consists of as much as 30% gravel and small stones, a combination of Pleasanton and Clough series. Today, this unique climate/soil combination produces Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with intense cassis and black cherry aromas complemented by cedary, spicy flavours in the finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were 100% estate grown and hand harvested. To intensify varietal character, Gallo employed site-specific vertical trellising, and used meticulous shoot and leaf removal to ensure the grape clusters received just the right amount of sunlight exposure for optimal ripening. The Naturally low-yielding blocks limited production to just 1.8 tons per hectare when harvested in October 1996. The hand-harvested clusters were de-stemmed but not crushed, to increase the percentage of whole berries in the fermenter and reduce the potential for bitter tannin extraction. Once dry, the free-run wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels for an average of 21 months to enhance bouquet, flavour and body. The wine completed malolactic fermentation, and was bottled unfined and with minimal filtration. This Ernest & Julio Gallo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied wine with firm tannins and a deep red colour. It exhibits complex layers of black cherry and plum aromas enhanced by spicy notes on a long finish. (6 x 75 cl)

Our Barrelli Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and intense wine with aromas and flavors of black currant, black cherry, and cassis. With balanced tannins and sweet vanilla and spice flavors from oak barrel aging, this wine has a smooth finish. With three generations and over six decades of experience in northern Sonoma, our family believes that the secret to producing world class wines is to start with world class grapes. We meticulously shoot positioned and cluster thinned grapes for this wine from only the finest blocks at our Barrelli Creek Vineyard. Grapes for this wine were de-stemmed, but not crushed, to retain 20%-30% whole berries for fermentation. This process allows us to better retain the grape's varietal essence and minimize bitter tannin extraction in the wine. The wine was aged in European, French, and American oak barrels for an average of 25 months. This wine then completed malolactic fermentation and, to enhance bouquet, flavor, and body was not fined and only minimally filtered prior to bottling. 96% Barrelli Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Barrelli Creek Petite Syrah In the hillside benchlands of the Alexander Valley, winegrowing at our family's Barrelli Creek Vineyard began over a century ago when Italian immigrants first planted vines. Grapes grown on this site are enhanced by soils comprised of gravel, sand, silt, and clay; described as Clough, Arbuckle, and Haire series. In addition, the temperate, Region III climate that makes this one of the warmest of our Sonoma County vineyards, adds richness, depth, and intensity to the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown here. (6 x 75 cl)