Lot #45 Mauritson Wines

The “1868” barrel auction lot pays homage to the Mauritson family history in the Rockpile region, as the family has farmed this property contiguously since they homesteaded it in 1868. Mauritson Wines has never before bottled a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Campground block in their Rockpile Ridge Vineyard. This micro block is planted to a heritage clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, often referred to as the See’s clone. This clone thrives in the shallow, rocky soils that define the Rockpile appellation, producing standalone Cabernets that have incredible depth and detail.

Rockpile is a unique American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County. It is one of the only AVAs to have an elevation requirement (800ft and over), it is surrounded by water on three sides (Lake Sonoma), it only has (approximately) 225 acres of vineyards. It has a very moderate climate due to the presence of Lake Sonoma and the proximity to the coast, it has a much smaller diurnal shift than some other growing regions, and it does not have any fog during the growing season due to the inversion layer created by the lake.

The Campground vineyard is planted right over the top of an active earthquake fault. There is little to no topsoil, resulting in very little water retention. The lack of water combined with the unique clonal selection create extremely small berries. The resulting wines are ultra concentrated and have incredible structure. This micro block was fermented separately, contributing to “1868” becoming a big, rich wine that will age with incredible grace.

WINEMAKER(S): Emma Kudritzki Hall

ESTIMATED BOTTLING DATE: June 2025
ESTIMATED SHIPPING DATE: November 2025

National Distribution: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY, Washington, DC

International Distribution: Includes England, Japan, Korea, Norway; please inquire for additional countries.

A winemaker dinner or store visit is offered in your market as part of this lot. Must be scheduled on a mutually agreeable date.