Wine Advocate: 94 Points
Picked well before the Glass Fire (between September 5th and 18th), the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Cherry fruit dominates, although there are hints of darker fruit, cigar box and mocha. Full-bodied and richly concentrated, this is a clear step up from the Napa bottling, finishing long, lush and velvety, with a deep, earthy undercurrent.
The Salvestrin family owns and lives in the original 1879 Victorian house build by Dr. George Belden Crane. Italian immigrants John and Emma Salvestrin purchased the historic home and a portion of the vineyards in 1932. While the original Dr. Crane estate had as many as 100 acres of vines in the 1880s, today it is split into several parcels. Andy Beckstoffer farms 21 acres, and Salvestrin has 19 acres. A handshake agreement among the families allows both to use the Dr. Crane Vineyard designation. Back when Biale was buying Salvestrin fruit from the older plantings, the wines (Petite Sirah and Zinfandel) were labeled Old Crane Ranch. The vineyard has been certified organic since 2021. Ed Salvestrin, John and Emma's son, took over the property in the 1960s, growing grapes for nearby wineries. He still lives on the property, but current management is led by his son, Rich Salvestrin, who received his viticulture degree from Fresno State and returned home in 1987. The vineyards underwent extensive replanting from 1987-1994 under his leadership, and he also began making wine. The first vintage of Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon was the 1994, and the winery was completed in time to handle the 2001 vintage. To honor the family's Italian heritage, Salvestrin planted Sangiovese in 1996 and has been bottling it as a varietal wine since 1999. Countless visitors to Saint Helena arriving from the south pass by the vineyards, house and winery every day, but more of them should schedule a tasting here, as the wines clearly merit attention and are attractively priced for their quality and pedigree.
.png)
|
