Among the Reserve Cabernets, only the best cuvees from good years become Cuvee L. Fermented in small open stainless steel tanks and aged for 19 months in French barrels. Packed with fruit, this wine has a concentrated flavor of creme de cassis, cocoa, black truffle, and chocolate, with thick, rich tannins.
Cuvee El is Lewis Cellars' top cuvée, a rare wine that is not produced every year but is only bottled in great years.
The best cuvée from that year's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is selected to become Cuvée El.
The first vintage was 1997.
Technical information
The grapes were picked when fully ripe, then hand-sorted and de-stemmed. They were then placed in small open stainless steel tanks where the caps were crumbled and the fermentation took place over two to four weeks. They were then aged for 19 months in new French barrels.
Tasting Comments
The 2019 Cuvee L is jet black, like the color of a wet crow's feathers. It has a stately presence, like a Gothic cathedral made of stone and steel. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a melting black fruit and a core like baked chocolate, with aromas of espresso, cedar, and candle wax. This wine stands tall like a cathedral's vaulted ceiling, and is supported by powerful tannins like a formidable truss.
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
Note: Limited edition
Winemaker: Josh Widaman
Brewing: Fermentation in small stainless steel open tanks
Aging: 19 months in new French oak barrels
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 0.0%