This rare vineyard is surrounded by jewel-like vineyards on the east hillside of Oakville, measuring just 1.6 hectares. The soil in the vineyard is red (roja in Spanish, meaning red) and is littered with large stones. The wine has strong red fruit flavors, sweet tannins, and a supple, seamless smoothness.
Vintage Information
After some welcome rains in the spring, the summer of 2019 was typically dry and sunny, but stable without any extreme weather or temperature changes, which helped maintain the freshness and quality of the fruit and allowed for long hang time to develop great color, structure and soft tannins.
There was less flowering and fruit set than in 2018, but the bunches were firm and concentrated, making 2019 an outstanding vintage.
Technical information
All of TOR's Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in small tanks for 2-3 weeks, with each lot fermented separately, and then aged for 20 months in new Tarançao and d'Arnajou oak barrels.
Tasting Comments
Due to the different soil blocks in Tierra Roja, some wines have a stronger red fruit flavor while others have stronger black fruit flavors, but the 2019 vintage of Tierra Roja has strong red fruit characteristics due to the iron-rich soil.
Aromas of rose, rosemary, sage, lavender, wet earth, cloves and cinnamon sticks.
The mouthfeel is firm, but the tannins are sweet and supple, as usual.
Its seamless smoothness leaves no doubt as to Tierra Roja's long-lasting potential.
Field Information
Tierra Roja Vineyards
It is located on the hill at the end of Oakville Crossroads towards Silverado Trail.
This is a prime location in Oakville, with Maya's Dalla Valle at the top of the slope, Joseph Phelps' Bacchus next door, Ladd across the Silverado Trail, and Screaming Eagle nearby.
It is a jewel of a hillside vineyard measuring just 1.6 hectares.
As an AVA wine surrounded by famous vineyards, this has become a rare and cost-effective wine.
The fields have red soil (loja in Spanish means red) with lots of large stones.
One might imagine a juicy, rich wine from the volcanic soil, but the wine produced from the grapes here is closer to Screaming Eagle than to Dalla Valle at the top of the slope, resulting in a wine that is dark in color, fragrant and complex in flavor.
Vintage: 2019
Capacity: 750ml
Type: Red wine
Taste: Full-bodied
Main variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: California
AVA: Napa Valley
Nested AVA, Other: Oakville
Vineyard: Tierra Roja Vineyard
Notes: Parker Point 96 (End of May 2022, The Wine Advocate) by Joe Czerwinski
Winemaker: Jeff Ames
Vinification: 2-3 weeks maceration
Aging: 20 months in new French barrels (Talenseau & Darnajou)
Rating: 90P or above
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 15.1%