Rich yet earthy, with notes of blackberries, leather, and herbs, this weighty Cab brings a lot of complexity to the table. A balancing note of cedar shavings indicates that this wine spent some time in oak. Tannins are softened, with just enough structure to demand a peppered steak alongside. A splash of Syrah adds a sprinkle of white pepper on the nose and palate. The Cabernet Sauvignon was selected from Lake County and the Russian River Valley. The Syrah is from the Russian River Valley and Dunnigan Hills. After fermentation the wine was aged 19 months in a combination of new and neutral French and American oak. Crew Wines was launched in 2005 by the owners of R.H. Phillips Wines. They named this new project "Crew" because they kept most of the same staff.