District 7 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

District 7 takes its name from Monterey, one of California's seventeen wine districts, where the Scheid family winery has stood since 1972. Monterey is defined by its cool coastal climate, with marine air drawn off the Pacific that lengthens the growing season, sometimes by as much as two months compared with other regions. That extended hang time lets Cabernet Sauvignon ripen slowly and evenly, developing flavour while holding the acidity and freshness that warmer sites can lose. The grapes are organically farmed. The wine spends twelve months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen transfer through the staves softens Cabernet's firm tannins and adds vanilla and toast that frame rather than cover the fruit. It is a deep ruby red. The nose leads with ripe black cherry and plum, backed by cocoa, sweet spice and a cedar and vanilla lift from the oak. The palate is full bodied and structured, with ripe but firm tannins and a long, savoury finish carried by the cool climate acidity. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted half an hour ahead, alongside grilled steak, roast lamb or hard cheese.