Tierra Roja Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 8–20 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Tierra Roja Vineyard is nestled on a steep, west-facing hillside in the heart of the Oakville appellation, directly below the famed Dalla Valle estate. Named for its iconic, vibrant red soils that are heavily saturated with iron and volcanic rock, this tiny four-acre vineyard is meticulously farmed by Linda Neal. TOR Kenward's expression of this exceptional terroir is legendary among Napa Valley collectors. The combination of intense afternoon sun and well-drained volcanic soil yields a Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable concentration, structural elegance, and a signature mineral-driven complexity. Crafted by winemaker Jeff Ames with minimal intervention, native yeast fermentation, and gentle French oak aging, this wine beautifully captures the opulent dark fruit and refined, silky tannins that define the very best of Oakville benchland Cabernet.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Kenward Family Wines represents the culmination of nearly five decades of immersion in California viticulture. Following a 27-year tenure shaping Beringer's private reserve programs, Kenward partnered with talented winemaker Jeff Ames to craft site-driven, artisanal single-vineyard expressions. The estate sources fruit exclusively from premier, sustainably farmed crus across Napa Valley and Carneros, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch, Dr. Crane, Hyde Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. Winemaking is dictated by minimal intervention, featuring native-yeast primary and malolactic fermentations, parcel-specific French oak maturation, and bottling without fining or filtration. TOR's benchmark portfolio is anchored by cult Cabernet Sauvignons alongside sculpted, mineral-laced Chardonnays—notably the Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi, Torchiana Beresini Vineyard, and Hyde Vineyard bottlings—as well as the ultra-limited Bordeaux-blend cuvées Black Magic and Pure Magic.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon