Rutherford Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Viticulture

97.5% Rutherford, 2.5% Napa Valley

Vinification

Aged 22 months in French oak

Tasting notes

Winery Description

Michael Pozzan creates wines that capture the best of the varietals he blends, vintage after vintage. His long-time experience with growers throughout Napa and Sonoma allows him to seek out and hand-select exceptional fruit each growing season in addition to using grapes from his own Calistoga vineyard. High quality and exceptional value are two hallmarks of his wines. Michael Pozzan Winery currently produces around 100,000 cases per year and distributes wine under several labels, three of which are now part of Iconic Wine Japan’s lineup; Giapoza, Napa 1847, and Rutherford Road.

The winery was founded by Michael and his wife Mary Ann in 1991. Michael, a California native, grew up in Berkeley Hills in the San Francisco Bay area. Early on Michael was exposed to the world of wine when he visited his grandfather’s ranch in the Dry Creek Valley near Healdsburg.  His grandfather was an old-time bootlegger from the Midwest who eventually settled in Northern California. Michael recalls his grandfather taking him on wine deliveries to various friends and relatives. The road near his grandfather’s farm in Dry Creek Valley still carries the Pozzan family name.

Michael’s road to founding his winery began when he worked as a sales rep for a winery. Over several years, he was able to watch the wine being made from harvest to bottling. Soon he was visiting wineries in Napa observing winemaking there and learning the basics of winemaking. He got into it deeply when he decided to acquire some wine barrels and bottle his own wine. So, as a négociant style winemaker, Michael began his career in wine.

The first label Michael started was Deer Springs, where he made 250 cases each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. He no longer is producing wine under this label and today Michael focuses on a small portfolio of diverse labels.

Michael Pozzan works with growers in Napa, Sonoma, and Lodi for the majority of the wines he crafts. In 2018 Michael acquired a unique vineyard in Calistoga. This vineyard was originally planted to Zinfandel in the 1880s and in 2010 it was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Michael’s winery is truly a family affair. Michael’s wife, Mary Ann, son, Dante, and brother Joseph and Joseph's wife, Kimberly, are all part of the Pozzan winery team. Michael continues to oversee winemaking along with consulting winemaker Molly Lippitt. Molly brings a great depth of knowledge in winemaking having worked with other legends, such as Heidi Barrett, Philipe Melka, Mike Hirby, and Julien Fayard. Molly was formerly winemaker for Volker Eisele Family Estate, Associate Winemaker at Moone-Tsai Vineyards, and Assistant Winemaker at Paradigm Winery. Additionally, Molly has worked with Duckhorn Vineyards, Relic Wine Cellars, and Talisman, as well as Whitehaven Vineyards in New Zealand.