Fresh mulberry, green bell pepper, black forest cherry. Pomegranate reduction, star anise, unsweetened açai. Lithe and lively flutters of black currant, crunchy blackberry, and dark plum highlight a delightfully tart and energetic fruit core intricately interlaced with hints of spearmint, cedar, and gravely minerals. Wafts of blooming rose, dried lavender, and wildflowers emerge to provide intoxicating floral overtones that collide with complex natural notes of pine needle, brown tobacco, and cilantro. Impressions of French Vanilla, baking chocolate, and dark roast coffee expose subtle pinches of integrated opulence that are offset by herbal hints of burning sage and tarragon. Terrifically pure, pretty, and expressive on the nose and palate while remaining charmingly serious and structured; exhibiting delicate concentration and restrained power that comes across as rich while remaining surprisingly nervy and fresh. Medium plus in body with powerful yet approachable tannin fleshed out by wonderfully high acidity. This 2016 Camp 4 Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon by Kitá Wines is a remarkably elegant, authentic, and age-worthy red from the Santa Ynez Valley.

While today Santa Barbara's Santa Ynez Valley is home to quaint towns surrounded by acres of picturesque vineyards and oak-studded grassland, this idyllic stretch of earth was once entirely the territory of the Chumash Tribe of Native Americans who have lived here for centuries in harmony with the land. This bottling, crafted by Kitá Wines using Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Camp 4 Vineyard, is an amazing testament to the connection California's indiginous people still have with their land to this day. Created by native Chumash winemaker Tara Gomez using fruit grown at a vineyard owned and operated by the Chumash tribe, this wine radiates incredibly pure and vibrant Cabernet fruit intertwined with bright flowers, delicate oak tones, and lightly green herbaceousness. It is extremely terroir expressive and exceptionally well balanced; gracefully shaped in a style reminiscent of the legendary California Cabernets of old. Very impressive.