Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

The 2012 Ark is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon expression with a deep ruby-purple colour and remarkable concentration. Crème de cassis, blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, and plum dominate the fruit, joined by graphite, liquorice, fresh tobacco, espresso, mocha, and spice. Beneath that richness runs a distinctly savoury current of tapenade, char, rosemary, earth, and roasted meat. The palate is dense and full-bodied, but its opulence is supported by firm, velvety shoulders, supple tannins, and seamless freshness. Flavours deepen and gather momentum rather than falling away, leading to a very long, savoury finish. The wine's scale is unmistakable, yet detail remains clear: ripe black fruit, mountain structure, polished oak, herbal accents, and earth are integrated into a powerful whole. It is generous enough to impress immediately after a long decant, while its concentration and tannin provide the material for further development.

With time in the glass, its richness becomes less about weight than detail, allowing savoury and mineral notes to hold the fruit in focus.

Serve at approximately 16–18°C and decant for several hours. The wine's depth suits ribeye, côte de boeuf, roast lamb, venison, braised short ribs, or rosemary-roasted meat. Charred mushrooms, black lentils, aubergine, celeriac, and roasted root vegetables can meet its savoury intensity without adding sweetness. Espresso, tobacco, and spice notes favour sauces built from stock, herbs, and restrained reduction. Mature Cheddar, aged Gouda, or firm Alpine cheese can follow. Avoid delicate dishes, sugary glazes, and aggressive chilli. Use a large Cabernet glass and allow the wine to open gradually so the savoury and mineral layers can emerge beneath its opulent black fruit.

Ark Vineyard is associated with Howell Mountain's rugged eastern Napa terrain, where elevated sites, volcanic material, and well-drained soils produce concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. Hundred Acre's stated approach is uncompromising: fruit is sorted berry by berry, fermented in small French oak fermenters, and aged for an extended period in carefully selected barriques. The 2012 vintage embodies that method in both scale and polish. Its dense fruit and structured tannins are not isolated effects, but the result of intense selection and a long, exacting élevage intended to preserve depth, texture, and momentum through the finish.

The result is a Cabernet whose intensity begins in the vineyard and is refined through relentless selection.

Store unopened on its side in a cool, dark, temperature-stable cellar. Protect from heat, sunlight, vibration, and sudden temperature changes. Serve around 16–18°C and decant for several hours. Contains sulphites.