There are indispensable attributes that go into each Ackerman bottling: an unhurried hand and a focused mind on quality and sustainability. Taste our wines and you’ll soon discover they share other consistencies: balance, structure and symmetry. Deep, rich berry flavors, silky tannins and a subtle elegance that echoes Bordeaux qualities. We’ve shaped our Cabernets to have softer edges and lower alcohol levels (13.2 - 14.5 percent) that complement the menu at the dinner (or picnic) table. We never want our wines to overpower food—that’s the antithesis of total enjoyment. And goodness knows, we appreciate the other half of the equation (food) just as much as wine! All of our wines share hallmark characteristics, yet each Ackerman bottling tells it’s own story of the vineyard.

There’s a lot of patience in each glass of Ackerman. Our winemaking team produces a limited amount (less than 500 cases) of Cabernet Sauvignon each year. Our wines enchant with deep, rich berry flavors and silky tannins. Understated elegance echo Bordeaux qualities, as do distinctive lower alcohol levels, lighter weights and less viscous structure. Tucked into the caldera known as Mount George, the vineyard is situated in an east-west direction resulting in a cooler, more temperate climate. Organic farming has created a well-rooted vineyard.

Fermentations are encouraged with light inoculations of yeast. After alcoholic conversion, it takes 10 to 14 days for extended maceration to lengthen tannins. Then, we drain the fresh young wine into all new hand-crafted barrels. We prefer French oak out of three different coopers: Taransaud, Gamba and Saint-Martin. During barrel aging, which takes 24 months, the only filtration is four rackings to each barrel. We consistently produce wines that reflect our philosophies of organic farming and non-interventionist winemaking. There are no fining agents like egg whites or animal proteins added to our wines. After two years, the wine is in bottle and held an additional two years before it’s released. It’s a long process that reflects our unhurried style, but one that never compromises on quality.