More renowned for their famous, super-scoring labels such as Verite, Cardinale and Lokoya, the estates of Jackson Family Vineyards are some of the most loved and best-treated in California and Stonestreet is no exception. Frankly, I couldn't believe that I could find a top-class Alexander Valley Cabernet to offer at this price - so we grabbed it while we could. Stonestreet Estate Vineyards in California enjoy an elevated position of 400-2,400ft standing on the western ridge of the Mayacamas Mountains towering over the Alexander Valley below. The lofty position of volcanically derived soils and cooling maritime breezes give them a unique location for mountain winegrowing. Interestingly, only 900 of the 5,100 acre estate are planted to grapes, the remaining 4,200 acres are dedicated to maintaining biodiversity home to ancient oaks and streambeds, the perfect habitat for cougars, owls and black bears. The story of Stonestreet started in 1995 when Jess Stonestreet Jackson and Barbara Banke had the vision to defy the limits of California winegrowing, “Stonestreet has the destiny to be one of the greatest vineyard sites of all time. Today their son Christopher Jackson and his wife Ariel continue the legacy and the middle name “Stonestreet” has now been passed down from father to son for three generations. The Jackson family are still very dedicated to their vision and caring for the estate which contains more soil types than the entirety of France. Stonestreet is one of the most expansive and multi-faceted mountain vineyards in the world and produces a distinctive collection of single vineyard wines. This Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the Estate bottling and is one of the most compelling illustrations of the mountain. Winemaker Lisa Valtenbergs blends this wine with shrewd precision, balancing aromatic intrigue, texture and the Mayacamas’ signature structural elements into a pure reflection of the vintage.