Cabernet
Society Article
Rosenthal The Malibu Estate brings back the tradition of
Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Los Angeles County. The first
Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in America were brought from
France and planted by Bordeaux native Jean Louis Vignes, who
planted his Cabernet Sauvignon vines in what is now the heart
of Los Angeles in the early 1830ês.
Rosenthal The Malibu Estate's first plantings were in
1987, after two years of weather, soil and slope analysis
showed that certain hillside plots on the estate would be
ideal sites for Bordeaux varietals. The 250-acre estate is
five miles inland from the famous beach, 1,500 feet up in a
secluded canyon in the Malibu hills, behind a 1,800-foot
ridge. Soil and climate are ideal. All Rosenthal The Malibu
Estate grapes are estate grown in the AVA Malibu-Newton
Canyon.
22 acres
of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit
Verdot are in production, with clone and rootstock selected to
optimize quality at each small vineyard site. Drip irrigation
is computer-controlled, row-by-row, with soil probes and a
vineyard weather station. Small lots are hand-harvested,
vinified, and aged separately before blending and bottling.
Vinification is with limited intervention, to highlight
terroir. Malolactic fermentation proceeds in the barrels,
using only top-line French Chateau barrels with medium toast
and tight grain. The wine is aged in the barrel for 18 months,
with racking as needed. The wine is bottled unfiltered and
unfined.
George
Rosenthal's commitment is to continue defining world-class
Cabernet Sauvignon from his unique Malibu Estate, while
constantly seeking new heights of excellence.
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