The culture of wine has always been a part of Helen Keplinger's life. Her dad had a wine cellar, Helen collected rocks (an early indication of her future as a winegrower), and wine accompanied every gourmet dinner her mom prepared nightly. Since attending the MS program in Enology at UC Davis, Helen has been the winemaker at several notable wineries, including Arrow & Branch, Kerr Cellars, and Bryant Family.
In 2014, Keplinger began working with the gorgeous mountain fruit of Oakville Ranch Vineyard, which sits high up on the Vaca range above Dalla Valle, tucked just below the southern edge of Pritchard Hill. Farmed organically with great heart and attention to every leaf and bug by the brilliant Phil Coturri, the soils are comprised of gorgeous red volcanics. The hills, swales, and aspects mean many little microclimates for layers and complexity. Cool air spills and drains through this geomorphic bowl of vine rows daily, retaining acidity and freshness of flavors in the berries. Only a few hundred cases were produced in the 2022!
JEB DUNNUCK 94+ POINTS - "Lots of sweet cassis, blackberries, crushed stone, and graphite emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch, one of the more concentrated, structured wines in the vintage. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it has ripe, building tannins and rock-solid mid-palate depth. Give bottles just 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged 21 months in 75% new oak."
In 2014, Keplinger began working with the gorgeous mountain fruit of Oakville Ranch Vineyard, which sits high up on the Vaca range above Dalla Valle, tucked just below the southern edge of Pritchard Hill. Farmed organically with great heart and attention to every leaf and bug by the brilliant Phil Coturri, the soils are comprised of gorgeous red volcanics. The hills, swales, and aspects mean many little microclimates for layers and complexity. Cool air spills and drains through this geomorphic bowl of vine rows daily, retaining acidity and freshness of flavors in the berries. Only a few hundred cases were produced in the 2022!
JEB DUNNUCK 94+ POINTS - "Lots of sweet cassis, blackberries, crushed stone, and graphite emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch, one of the more concentrated, structured wines in the vintage. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it has ripe, building tannins and rock-solid mid-palate depth. Give bottles just 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged 21 months in 75% new oak."
