Josh Greene, editor of Wine & Spirits magazine has named Marietta Cellars’ “Game Trail” Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 his “Wine of the Week”. His review is glowing and comprehensive, “Chris Bilbro planted this 10-acre parcel on a south-facing hillside where the influence of the coast, the surrounding forest and the elevation (1,400 feet) combine to ripen cabernet slowly. Cool red fruit carries through this 2021, rising in the end as the tannins tessellate into a quiet explosion of glistening mountain-grown cabernet. The texture is soft, built on those abundant, polished tannins. Plump and refreshingly light at once.” He awarded it with 93 points.
Game Trail Vineyard is a 10 acre estate in Yorkville Highlands, and is under the sole ownership of the Bilbros. Planted by founder Scot Bilbro, at an elevation of 1,400 ft, the combination of elevation plus the extremely well-drained gravelly soils would make ripening any clone of Cabernet a challenge. Additionally, Marietta dry farms the Clone 6 of Cabernet Sauvignon, which originates from Margaux. The yield is very low, the berries very small, and the skin makes crushing and vinifying challenging. Yet this contributes to concentrated juice with a savory quality, there is a seriousness and complexity to the flavor profile. This is a great example of old-school California Cabernet.
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