The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard explodes with violets, aniseed and cast iron, with a deep core of crushed blueberries and black cherries, evolving continually with each approach to the glass. The palate is stunning with its intensity and lift, pure fruits, pixelated tannins and focused acidity that drives the very long finish. Its exceptional balance and super pure flavors, plus that characteristic streak of iron that appears across the Anakota portfolio, really take the 2019 Helena Dakota to the next level. 793 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.