Ancestor represents the best our estate vineyard has to offer, without regard to varietal or blending parameters. This vintage is a classic Bordeaux-style blend with California intensity, softened by two years in the bottle. The 2004 Ancestor boasts a marvelously complex, sophisticated nose of rich cassis and blackberry fruit embroidered by vivid mint, cedar, tabacco leaf and cigar box tones. In the mouth, the wine's deeply extracted, cassis and blackberry liqueur flavors are balanced by sturdy young tannins, ensuring this luxury cuvée red will age beautifully in bottle for a decade or more.

Halter Ranch is home to an ancient Coast Live Oak. Surrounded by our vineyard, this tree has been designated one of the largest specimens of its kind. A witness to the ages, it stands as a symbol of heritage and preservation. We chose the name Ancestor for our Estate Reserve in honor of this ancient tree.