A METICULOUS CRAFTSMAN.
With his devotion to handcrafting small-lot wines, Chilean-born Winemaker Sebastian Donoso is the ideal steward of ALEA FINA’s extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the legendary Rutherford Bench. Together with Consulting Winemaker Paul Hobbs, Sebastian meticulously crafts ALEA FINA with an attention to detail bordering on the obsessive.
In the vineyard, Sebastian insists on a fuller vine canopy to allow only dappled sunlight to reach the Cabernet clusters, thereby ensuring the grapes get a bit of extra hang time. He calls the harvest for ALEA FINA two weeks later than is typical for the region, allowing the fruit more time to develop complex aromas of graphite, earth and classic Rutherford dust.
Rather than relying solely on Brix levels to assess ripeness, he considers weather patterns, seed lignification, the intensity of color that can be extracted from the grape skins, and the
development of characteristics that signal varietal typicity. By studying the physiology of the whole plant, Sebastian constantly seeks feedback from the vines to inform his decisions.
In the cellar, he stewards his carefully selected vineyard blocks from the storied Rutherford Bench to the pinnacle of their expression. Sebastian prefers minimal intervention, yet wields his subtle influence when it matters most. Following fermentation, he orchestrates a precise maceration with heat to soften the tannins and round out the wine’s generous mid-palate.
To age the wine, Sebastian fastidiously selects tight-grained barrels from select French coopers to ensure nuanced aromatics and structural precision. He racks ALEA FINA only when absolutely necessary. The result is a remarkable wine that transmits the distinct character of its inimitable origins.
A LEGENDARY PLACE.
A REVERENT STEWARD.
“Each small detail means something, each subtle action is deliberate. We must be meticulous to bring forward the singular character of this iconic place and express its beautiful typicity.”
