2010 asked for careful navigation from Sonoma County farmers. A chilly, wet spring led into the second-coldest July in 50 years, followed by an intense heat spell in August, culminating with torrential rains in October. We had to watch and respond—without overreacting or overcorrecting.
Having our own year-round vineyard crew at Stonestreet gave us an advantage, as did the mountain’s limiting soils and exposure to Pacific winds. In a damp year like 2010, wind plays a crucial role in preventing mold. You might otherwise rely on aggressively pulling off leaves to increase air movement around clusters—then if a heat spike rears its head, you could be facing sunburn.
The fruit was brilliant for farmers and sites that were able to maneuver. “There have been so many 2010 retrospective tastings because people have realized that it’s an incredible year,” says our winemaker Kristina Shideler, “a truly cold, classic, great vintage.”
Especially great for a micro-vineyard toward the base of our mountain. Bear Point is planted at 800 to 1,000 feet on terraced slopes that flow along the natural contours of the land. The Cabernet Sauvignon always offers a riper expression with a welcoming feel on the palate, fresh blue fruit notes, and a dash of the estate’s characteristic minerality. “That site in a colder year? It’s at its best in my opinion,” Kristina says. 2010’s snail-paced ripening and higher natural acidity took the wine to another level, setting it up to age fantastically.
We are extremely pleased to present you with the 2010 Bear Point Cabernet Sauvignon as a 15-year library release. This wine is sensationally pretty, with blue-violet flavors and a super silky texture.
Mountain-grown wines benefit from extended aging because their tannins have great length and strength, and this bottle is a strong example of why we take so much pride in offering you timed releases.
WHAT TO EAT, IF ANYTHING
Kristina and our chef recently paired cheeses with the 2010s. Bear Point’s winning match was Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove, a goat cheese with nutty, brown-buttery flavors. “It works really well because the cheese is texturally very creamy and silky and complements the wine in that way. It has that sweeter caramel finish and people who don’t normally like goat cheese might even like it.” Midnight Moon is made in Holland, then aged in the U.S. for six months. It is fairly widely available but if you can’t find it, a nice Gouda would be a similar choice.
“If you want to make a little charcuterie plate, I'd say bread—instead of crackers—and a salami that’s not too peppery. But the wine is so pretty and delicate, you can really drink it by itself or just have it with a slice of cheese.”
If you do want to honor this 15-year release with a proper meal, we suggest a simple slow-cooked stew like beef bourguignon.
TENDING EVERY VINE
We believe Stonestreet Estate Vineyard is one of the most complex viticultural sites on earth. Our highly skilled vineyard team is anchored by Gabriel Valencia, who has been Stonestreet’s vineyard manager for 25 years.
The team has intimate knowledge of every vineyard block on the mountain,” says Kristina. “At this point I would say they know the difference from the top to the bottom of the block, which is really important on terraces like Bear Point because of the soil variations and diverse exposures—both in elevation and as you go around the contours.”
Each vine is understood, pruned, and managed at an individual level. It never stops being remarkable to us that when we embrace unpredictable Nature with reverence, hard work, training, science, and intuition, the result is a deeply enjoyable drink.
