Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon (1986)

About this wine

This Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon from Sequoia Grove is made from Napa Valley fruit grown on the winerys Rutherford estate, and the bottle is from the 1986 vintage. On the nose expect developed tertiary aromas of leather, cedar, and dried dark fruit with faint notes of tobacco and dried herbs. The palate shows concentrated but mellowed flavors of dried black cherry and cassis, a savory core of forest floor and baking spice, and a grip of mature tannin that has softened over decades. The wine has a medium to full body with moderate acidity that keeps the flavors focused and a lingering finish of cedar and dried currant. Sequoia Grove historically ferments in stainless steel before aging in French oak, and the winery has long emphasized careful hand sorting and estate sourcing, practices that shaped wines from this era.

About the grape

Cabernet Sauvignon is the single grape behind this bottling, a variety that originated in Bordeaux and became Napa Valleys most important red grape during the 20th century as growers realized the valleys climate and soils suit it so well. On the Sequoia Grove estate in Rutherford the variety is planted on gravelly loam soils of the Rutherford Bench and managed with focused, sustainable farming practices consistent with the winerys Napa Green certification, which helps preserve vine health and longevity. In this wine Cabernet fruit typically comes from estate blocks and selected Napa parcels, harvested for balanced ripeness and fermented and aged in the style long associated with Rutherford Cabs, where structured tannins and ripe phenolics are emphasized through careful canopy and crop control.

Quick facts

• 🌲 The bottle comes from a winery that was originally set up in a 100‑year‑old barn tucked beneath a ring of coast redwoods that inspired the name Sequoia Grove.
• 🏷️ Sequoia Grove labeled this wine Estate Bottled, meaning the grapes for the 1986 Cabernet were grown on the winery’s own Rutherford estate rather than bought from outside growers.
• 🏅 In the 1980s Sequoia Grove was a surprise star in competitions, winning multiple gold and platinum awards and earning the title Best American Cabernet around that era, so a 1986 from them carries that early‑era prestige.
• 📜 The winery sits on the historic Rancho Caymus land grant and its vineyard block has roots back over a century, so a 1986 bottle literally contains fruit grown on land with deep Napa history.
• 👪 The 1986 vintage was produced under the Allen family’s ownership before the Kopf (Kobrand) family bought the winery in 2002, making bottles from that era a snapshot of the original family‑run period.

Palate profile

Producer

Sequoia Grove Winery, established in 1979 by James and Barbara Allen, is situated in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. The winery is renowned for its commitment to crafting elegant, balanced wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Notably, the winery's tasting room is housed in a restored 100-year-old barn, nestled beneath a grove of majestic Sequoia trees planted in 1908, which inspired the winery's name. In 2002, the Kopf family acquired Sequoia Grove, continuing its legacy and further investing in vineyard expansion and sustainable practices.