Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana 2019

The story of Anakota begins deep in the heart of Knights Valley in rural Sonoma County. Located in an ancient volcanic zone, this relatively untouched and unknown place offers incredibly unique and diverse soils with a climate perfectly suited to Bordeaux varietals. Superstar winemaker Pierre Seillan from Verité fame sources from two estate-owned vineyards in the heart of a special winegrowing region.

Rising more than 4,000 feet above sea level, Mount St. Helena looks down on our estate-owned vineyards which are quietly situated on the rugged flanks of the Mayacamas Mountain Range. The wines here are some of the best made – which shows by all the big names that this beauty outpointed in the 2019 vintage: BOND, Shafer, Spottswoode, and countless others.

Running northeast to southwest at an elevation of 950 feet above sea level, the 60-acre Helena Montana vineyard is marked by rolling hills and steep benches that tilt up to 30 degrees. It features firm, dense, white and yellow gravelly loam soils that drain extremely well, setting up perfectly for growing concentration, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon.

“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.” -Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate