ur Stor
Dr. Isaac Gubel’s love for early Cabernets from Argentina’s Mendoza region ignited a taste for wine in his son, Gustavo. Spending weekends on “The Island” near Buenos Aires, Gustavo would sneak sips during family barbecues, where the aromas of grilling meats mingled with the earthy scents of the surrounding farmlands. This experience not only kindled Gustavo’s passion for wine but also sparked a deep appreciation for the rhythms of agriculture and the art of nurturing crops that would later flourish in his own vineyards.
Amidst 1970s political unrest in Argentina, Gustavo’s family sent him to California for his education in architecture. He later founded a firm celebrated for hillside homes and hospitality designs, marked by his distinctive use of glass, concrete and wood.
Designing his own home posed a challenge: a mature olive tree stood where the house was to be built. Before removing it, Gustavo and his soon to be wife, Joanne, harvested and pressed its olives late into the night, discovering olive oil the next morning—a pivotal moment that led them into agriculture.
ur Wineakn Procss
At Gubel Family Vineyards, we believe that exceptional wine begins with meticulous attention to detail and a deep respect for the land. Our winemaking journey starts long before the sun rises, hand-harvesting our grapes under the cover of night when temperatures are at their coolest. This careful timing ensures that our grapes arrive at the winery in pristine condition, ready to be transformed into a wine of distinction.
Upon arrival, every grape cluster is meticulously sorted to ensure that only the finest fruit makes its way into our wine, preserving purity and quality from vineyard to bottle.
Next, the selected grapes undergo fermentation in stainless steel tanks under carefully controlled temperatures. This method optimizes the extraction of flavors and colors, allowing us to craft wines with depth and complexity. We tailor the duration of maceration to each harvest, ensuring that every vintage achieves its fullest expression.
Following fermentation, our wines are delicately transferred to French oak barrels for a period of 20 months of élevage. This maturation process enriches the wines with subtle nuances of vanilla, spice, and structure, harmonizing the fruit’s natural characteristics with elegant oak influences.
The result? Wines that embody the essence of our vineyard’s terroir, showcasing the meticulous care and craftsmanship that define Gubel Family Vineyards. From vine to barrel to bottle, each step in our grape growing and winemaking process is a testament to our commitment to producing wines of unparalleled quality and distinction.
2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Introducing our inaugural vintage of Gubel Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Wine, a wonderful expression of its Calistoga origins. With its deep ruby hue and velvety texture, the aromatics show off ripe blackberry and plum, with underlying of fresh earth, tobacco, and graphite. The palate exhibits wonderful focus from entry to finish but maintains a broad and expansive mouthfeel. Expect this wine to show beautifully and lively in its youth and mature nicely with cellar aging.
Harvest Date: Sept 23, 2021
Fermentation: 16 Days
Aging: 20 Months
Barrel Aging: 50% New French Oak Barrels, 50 % Neutral French Oak Barrels
Wine Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 161 cases
pH: 3.8
TA: 5.7
Alcohol: 14.48
Bottling Date: May 18, 2023
