Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard was aged for 12 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has a profound yet slightly broody nose to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal wonderfully fragrant notes of wild blueberries, black cherries, dark chocolate and warm cassis, followed by nuances of garrigue, violets, tar and licorice plus a touch of wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has gorgeous velvety tannins and finely knit freshness supporting generous black and blue fruits, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Wow. 1,000 cases were made.

The two Anakota vineyards sit at the base of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley, in the northeast of Sonoma, just north of Napa Valley's Calistoga. While very close to one another, the two sites have different aspects, altitudes and soil profiles, producing markedly different wines. Generally speaking, Helena Dakota is composed of a red-loam soil, allowing for deeper roots and more vine vigor. Helena Montana is perched at a higher altitude with sandy/gravelly loam soils that force the vines to struggle. The Helena Montana and Helena Dakota vineyards are truly coming into their own now at 20 years old. The winemaker here is Pierre Seillan from Verité, applying the same sensitivity to understanding the land and expressing the individual terroirs.