2018 Aloft Cabernet Sauvignon

This is the story of four sisters. A story that begins with humble values which in turn instilled strong work ethics in each of the women from a very young age. The four sisters’ great-grandparents, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, purchased Charles Krug Winery shortly after the end of prohibition and assumed winery operations in 1943. Cesare and Rosa’s passion, determination and vision quickly began to shape and bring attention to Napa Valley as one of California’s premium wine regions. Years of research stimulated their grandfather, Peter Sr., to curate and introduce revolutionary winemaking techniques that continue to be utilized in today’s modern winemaking. Methods commonly used include cold fermentation, cold-sterile filtration and aging wine in French oak barrels. Their grandfather worked closely with each sister, mentoring and shaping them, to continue the legacy of the Mondavi Family until he passed away at the wise age of 101.

Starting at the curious and energetic age of 10, each sister- Angelina, Alycia, Riana and Giovanna- spent their summers learning the family business from the ground up. Their grandparents wanted to not only share their passion for wine but to additionally generate strong values and inspire the Sisters to understand that their work was a true labor of love. Knowing exactly how to accomplish this, the girls were put to work in the cellar and lab rather than the tasting room. Summer days consisted of odd jobs throughout the winery including schlepping hoses, cleaning tanks, soaking bottles, pulling samples and running analyses. A family tradition of summer winery jobs alongside their grandfather and father led each of the sisters to begin their own romance with the wine industry and subsequently each fell in love with their heritage simultaneously.

With a desire to honor and pay respect to the generations before them, the sisters launched Dark Matter Wines in 2005, which was followed by the purchase of Aloft in 2017. Both labels focus on elements lending to the homage of the Mondavi Family, however have been reinvented in a presence that speaks to the sister’s personalities and mission for years to come.

The aromatics and palate parallel each other with an intensity of ripe blueberry, blackberry, black currant and black cherry. The wine shows further complexity with diverse flavors of dark chocolate, clove, black pepper, leather, tobacco and cigar. Although youthful, the wine portrays a tasteful balance between ripe fruit, bright acidity, and tannins. Cellar this wine for a few years and the lush tannins will continue to soften adding an additional dimension to this mountain Cabernet.