DON & TRISH STEPHENS, OWNERS | CELIA WELCH MASYCZEK, WINEMAKER | JIM BARBOUR, VINEYARD MANAGER
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Don Stephens is the Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of San Francisco and Managing Partner of D.R. Stephens & Company – a firm he founded in 1973 and still manages today in the real estate and private equity investment business. He was also a partner in a San Francisco a steak house named “The Cooperage.” The attraction of good red wine, and particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, combined with a steak, gave him the long-term goal of becoming a vintner and making great wines. In 1996 Don and Trish found Oz II, their 35-acre property on Howell Mountain and planted the nine-acre Moose Valley Vineyard. 2002 saw their first release, the 1999 D.R. Stephens Estate Moose Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. High scores soon followed. We are happy to introduce you to these wines. For the second straight year, D.R. Stephens’ barrel lot at the 2008 Auction Napa Valley placed 4th overall.
| 2007 | Chardonnay , Napa Valley | | | | 92 Points Wine Spectator: “Rich and full-bodied, this is framed by smoky, toasty oak, but also offers a delicious core of pear- and nectarine-laced flavors that are pure and elegant. Drink now through 2012. 455 cases made.” | | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon DRII, Napa Valley | | | | The D.R Stephens DR II Cabernet Sauvignon shows fresh and lively aromas of bright cherry, vanilla, and raspberry. At entry, the juicy fresh cherry flavors give the wine a friendly approachability, while slightly darker tea and black raspberry notes add structure and depth to the palate impression. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 20 months in French Oak (50% new). | | 2006 | Cabernet Sauvignon , Napa | | | | 94 Points Wine Enthusiast: “Too young for drinking now, or anytime soon for that matter. It’s all primary blackberry and currant fruit, new oak and tannins. But there’s a dramatic quality to the structure, a purity of parts that suggests the cellar. There are waves of licorice, mocha and buttered cinnamon toast, with everything vying for supremacy. Let all the elements battle it out for a good six years. This wine should age gracefully through 2015, at least.” | | 2007 | Cabernet Sauvignon , Napa | | | | Firm, ripe and generous, offering rich, vivid blackberry, raspberry and wild berry flavors that are pure and focused, with touches of mineral and black licorice. Full-bodied, this expands on the finish, where the flavors fan out and gain subtle touches. Best from 2011 through 2021. 750 cases made. |
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