The 2021 The Founder Cabernet Sauvignon, with 1% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes barreling out with bold notions of blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums, and blackberry pie giving way to nuances of graphite, crushed rocks, and camphor with a touch of lavender. The full-bodied palate is rich and dense yet beautifully juxtaposed by amazing tension and grainy tannins, finishing long and lively.
Press Room
The Founder Reviews
Score: 96 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent
Score: 93+ | June 29, 2018 | Wine Advocate
Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 The Founder is medium garnet-purple in color and beautifully scented of crushed blackberries and blackcurrants with nuances of menthol, lilacs, dark chocolate and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has elegantly played perfumed black fruits, with a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered.
Score: Double Gold | January 30, 2018 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: 90 | October 16, 2017 | Wine Enthusiast
This intensely ripe wine is made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Malbec and Merlot. Its waxy cherry, currant and blueberry flavers are laced wtih milk chocolate and smoky oak richness, a dash of high-toned acidity sparking on the finish.
Score: 94 | March 1, 2017 | Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 The Founder has a pronounced nose of baked blackberries, blueberry preserves, dried plums and spice cake with hints of cigar boxes and pencil lead. Full-bodied, rich and opulent in the mouth, it has a solid frame of ripe grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and layered. The oak is still quite prominent at this youthful stage, but it has all of the hallmarks of a wine built for long cellaring and will benefit from 5 to 7 years in bottle prior to drinking.
Score: Gold | January 19, 2017 | American Fine Wine Competition
Score: 94+ | March 4, 2016 | Wine Advocate
The 2013 Proprietary Red the Founder is a Sonoma bottling dedicated to the founding of Buena Vista in 1857. This shows beautiful, concentrated blackcurrant fruit, licorice, graphite and floral notes. It is full-bodied and dense with flawless integration of acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol. This is a big, but rich, provocative and authoritative wine with stunning purity and richness. Built for long cellaring if one wants to, this is certainly accessible now, but seems to have at least 30-50 years of longevity ahead of it.