Gallica: A Gem To Discover G

by Diana Kienle, Certified Specialist of Wine photo by Cathy Schwamberger

allica is a small winery located in St. Helena, California (part of the Napa Valley). It is a gem worth revealing to your palate. The owner and winemaker is Rosemary Cakebread, who has produced beautiful wines that are truly worth discovering.

Sauvignon. This was a wonderful beginning with rich aromatics and ripe fruit in every sip. This led to the different vintages of Cabernet. We tasted through the Estate and Oakville Cabernets from 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Just recently I had the pleasure to visit for a tasting and be hosted by Rosemary herself – quite the honor given my appreciation for her artistry in developing remarkable flavors in the bottle. Historically she was the winemaker for Spottswoode from 1997 to 2005. Her craftsmanship brought 100 point scores to the winery for their luscious Cabernet. To gain a greater appreciation for her journey, you can find my interview with her on this blog, published in 2015. Rosemary established the Gallica label with her first vintage being in 2007. The name Gallica is inspired by a variety of rose native to southern Europe, and it fits beautifully given the refined Cabernet Rosemary crafts with wonderful aromatics. I am certain she has never looked back given the success that she has had.

The tasting was special and included different vintages of her flagship Cabernet. We started with the ’22 Estate Rosé which was made from Petite Sirah and Cabernet