Lost Isle Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, North Coast 2022

Winemaker William “Bill” Knuttel earned recognition and respect while working for two iconic California wineries: Saintsbury in Napa Valley and Chalk Hill in Sonoma. Nowadays, he crafts his own (equally delicious) wines, and you’re in for a real treat with his NEW Lost Isle Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon—the premium edition of his massively popular Lost Isle Cab.

Over this course of his impressive career, Bill has developed close relationships with some of the best vine growers in the North Coast. So, when he set out to craft this classy Reserve, he had his pick of the very best.

Lost Isle Reserve is made with grapes from prime vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. And if you want to get into the nerdy details—which we always do!—these grapes come from Chalk Hill’s Hitchcock Vineyard (Russian River Valley, Sonoma), Andolsen Vineyard (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma) and the Johnson Family Vineyard in Mendocino. As a nod to the wine that inspired it, this Reserve includes a small dash of Cab from Wilson Family Vineyards—which is the basis for Bill’s original Lost Isle.

In the winery, Bill focused on fully extracting every bit of flavor from those high-quality grapes. “An extended maceration was key,” he tells us. (Maceration is the period of time when the grape juice and skins are soaking together.) Following that, Bill aged this Reserve for 16 months in fine French oak barrels with about 35% new wood, which gives a toasty-spice nuance to the wine.

In the glass, expect something richer and fuller than the original Lost Isle. This deep, dark-fruited Cabernet Reserve is brimming with ripe blackberry and blueberry supported by gentle spice and well-balanced tannins. As you’d expect with a wine of this caliber, the finish is long and complex—one of the many reasons that this wine is an endlessly versatile pairing for your favorite grilled meats, vegetables and firm cheeses.

Hurry for your share of this luxurious Cabernet Reserve.