Description
Lyeth Estate was founded in in 1981 in Sonoma County by Chip Lyeth. Some of us old timers remember it from way back then, as it was one of the best values for Cabernet in California. Some 30 years later it has resurfaced with new owners, but Chip's vision for making excellent Cabernet Sauvignon has very much remained the same. Lyeth has a soft and generous palate with flavors of savory spice, bramble raspberry, chocolate-cherry and a hint of lavender on the finish. The touch of Petite Verdot in the blend adds to the structure, and you will be astounded by the amazing value. The world needs more affordable wine that is this good!
Producer notes - "Chip Lyeth, founder of Lyeth Winery was an adventuresome spirit, who was the son of a Colorado banker whose passion for winemaking and grape growing grew out of a 1972 family trip to Bordeaux, France. It was this visit to the wine country in France that Chips passion for blended wines became firmly rooted. His education into Bordeaux blends became an obsession. The next year (1973) Chip bought the 285-acre Brignole Ranch in the Alexander Valley and studied winemaking and viticulture at UC Davis. The winery was built in 1978 and Chip produced his first wines there in 1982. His wines received instant acclaim from critics who characterized Lyeths’ wines as Bordeaux-style blends.
In 1988, Chip teamed up with several other winemakers; including Bill Arbios, Lyeths’ winemaker, who celebrated the Bordeaux tradition of blending varietals and created the Meritage Association. The philosophy is the blend must be created with only “noble” Bordeaux varieties – by creating standards, only high-quality wineries would produce Meritage labels; thus, elevating the status of blended wines. The spirit of Chip Lyeth carries on with each vintage as a homage to the American ideal, as it was not popular in the early days to eliminate the varietal designation on the label; in fact, it was a revolutionary act at that time in the wine industry. The same spirited character and quality exist today in our Lyeth Sonoma County and California Red Wine and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chip would be proud to see the results of his risk-taking still alive and well in the heart of California wine country."
