A Half Mile Up the Side of a Volcano

The rules of convention don't always apply at Obsidian. Take our Half Mile Cabernet. It's produced at our Obsidian Ridge Vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains. The land angles and rises and, yes, reaches over half a mile in altitude. Less than three percent of vineyards in the entire world are over 1,000 feet, and this one is covered in craggy black obsidian. At extreme altitude, the fruit endures higher UV rays, and the sun reflects off the obsidian and bounces back into the canopy. The luminosity leads to thicker skin on the grapes, and therefore more flavor and structure compounds. Half Mile is a winemaker selection that embodies the volcanic personality of this site.

The highest elevation blocks sit above the inversion layer and produce our boldest, ripest Cabernet Sauvignon. A single block of exceptionally fruit-driven Petit Verdot sits at exactly 2,640 feet and gives Half Mile its signature beam of lavender. Aged 18 months in custom-crafted barrels from our Hungarian cooperage allows the tannins to soften and integrate into the one-and-only, unconventional Half Mile - that bold and distinctive character that only comes from farming on the side of a volcano.