Bottle of 2011 Promontory Cabernet Sauvignon, gifted to The Very Rev. Alan W. Jones (1940-2024) for blessing the vineyard.

Value: $850

About the wine:

"The 2011 vintage bears notes that range from coffee, black truffle, wet stones, and the smell of warm earth after a rainfall. It possesses great density but demonstrates a degree of clarity and intention as it touches the mid-palate. This is followed, by a very fine quality of tannin, not yet experienced in the prior vintages. The 2011 is undoubtedly youthful, but with gentle decanting it can bestow more pleasure at the moment than any vintage yet. However approachable this wine may be, we are convinced that its mysterious facets will continue to be revealed in the decades to come." - Promontory

About the vineyard:

Winemaker H. William Harlan first encountered the territory that would become Promontory while hiking along Oakville's southwestern ride in the 1980s. Upon the Harlan family estate's acquisition of the elusive property in 2008, "they found a powerful geologic convergence, which had shaped its steep, rugged topography, and created the conditions for an altogether exotic winegrowing environment." - Promontory

About Alan William Jones:

The Very Rev. Alan W. Jones served as the dean of Grace Cathedral from 1985 until 2009. Known for his blend of Anglican tradition, progressive theology and English wit, he led the cathedral through many transformations that make it the "cathedral for all" we know it as today. The labyrinth, the Interfaith AIDS Chapel, and the Chapter House are only a few examples of the Cathedral's progress during his service.