Freemark Abbey · Sycamore Vineyard · Rutherford · 2019
Freemark Abbey’s 2019 Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon brings together dark fruit, savory complexity and the firm, dusty structure associated with Rutherford. Located at the southern end of the Rutherford Bench near the Mayacamas Mountains, Sycamore produces a rich, textured expression of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Blackberry and pomegranate aromas mingle with black tea and forest floor, followed by forest fruits, dark chocolate, bay leaf and warm oak spice. Bold but integrated tannins give this wine depth and definition. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Producer & Vineyard
Freemark Abbey’s history began in 1886, when Josephine Tychson built and operated the original redwood cellar in St. Helena, producing Zinfandel, Riesling and “Burgundy.” Following phylloxera, the property passed to Nels Larsen and then Antonio Forni, who renamed it Lombarda Cellars and built the enduring stone winery in 1899.
Charles Freeman, Marquand Foster and Albert “Abbey” Ahern reopened the winery in 1939, combining their names to create Freemark Abbey. A sampling room followed in 1949. In 1967, seven partners, Dick Heggie, Brad Webb, Bill Jaeger, Frank Laurie Wood, Jim Warren, Chuck Carpy and John Bryan, helped establish its signature Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon style and its “University of Freemark” reputation.
The first Cabernet Bosché vintage was produced in 1970. At a 1971 tasting of French Bordeaux and California Cabernet Sauvignon, Freemark Abbey’s Cabernet Bosché took top honors ahead of the 1970 Château Lafite-Rothschild. In the 1976 Judgment of Paris, Freemark Abbey was the only participating winery represented by both a red and a white wine. Freemark Abbey first sourced Sycamore Vineyard grapes in 1980, beginning a relationship that has made this Rutherford Bench site a cornerstone of the winery’s Cabernet program.
Ted Edwards became winemaker in 1985, guiding the estate’s classically structured style for decades. Wine Spectator praised Cabernet Bosché’s elegance, depth and longevity in 1989 and its elegance and finesse in 1995. At the 1996 twentieth-anniversary recreation of the Judgment of Paris, New York Times critic Frank Prial counted Freemark Abbey among his favorites.
The Jackson family purchased Freemark Abbey in 2006. Renovations completed in 2016 preserved the historic stone building while introducing modern updates. That year, the winery also produced The Fiftieth Reserve, a 2013 Spring Mountain Bordeaux-style red commemorating Super Bowl 50. Its 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon later took first place at the 2017 Judgment of Tokyo.
Kristy Melton was named winemaker in 2020 as Edwards transitioned to winemaker emeritus. Colline, an estate-owned vineyard in southern Oakville near To Kalon, joined the single-vineyard Cabernet portfolio in 2021. Edwards retired in 2023, passing full winemaking responsibilities to Melton. The winery continues to emphasize classically structured wines, precision techniques and the individual character of its vineyard sites.
Winemaker Description
Located on the southern end of the Rutherford Bench, Sycamore Vineyard’s proximity to the Mayacamas Mountains provides the perfect climate for growing a rich, textured Cabernet. The wine is intense in aromatic complexity, reminiscent of blackberry, pomegranate syrup, black tea, and forest floor. The palate is rich and textured with flavors of forest fruits, dark chocolate, bay leaf, and warm oak spices. The ‘Rutherford dust’ is evident in the tannin structure, giving it textures that are bold but integrated, making it lovely to drink now with the capability to age in the cellar for decades. Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc.
Expert Reviews · 2019 Vintage
Jeb Dunnuck, 97 Points · February 2023: “...the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard is jaw-dropping stuff and does everything right. More structured and tannic compared to the Bosche, it has loads of red and black fruits as well as sandalwood, camphor, bay leaf, and bouquet garni-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, deep, layered, and concentrated, yet still with this wonderful sense of elegance, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 20-25 years as well.”
Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter, 95 Points · September 2022: “Kristy Melton has coaxed out hallmark freshness in her single-vineyard Cabernets. Heady oak spices rise from the glass mingling with chocolate-tinged red berry fruit and dried herbs. Plush red berries on the palate are framed by firm, dusty tannins with notes of cedar, tobacco and vanilla emerging on the finish.”
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 92 Points · November 2025: “This offers up slightly chunky blackberry and red currant compote flavors backed by ample roasted apple wood and anise notes. Wood spice and sassafras accents fill in, and there’s a late twinge of iron on the finish. Shows character and is approachable now if you like ’em gutsy; otherwise, cellar a touch. Drink now through 2035.”
Pairing Suggestions
Try with grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, rosemary-roasted lamb or mushrooms with a rich pan sauce. Its dark fruit and firm tannins suit deeply savory dishes.
Details
- Producer: Freemark Abbey
- Vintage: 2019
- Vineyard: Sycamore Vineyard
- Appellation: Rutherford, Napa Valley
- Region: California, United States
- Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
- Type: Red wine
- Bottle size: 750ml
- Producer’s stated lifespan in proper cellar: 20–30 years
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