Souverain Restakes Claim As Leader In North Coast Cabernet

12 Feb 2014 --- Souverain wines will hit shelves this month with a bold new look, impactful positioning that highlights a legacy in North Coast Cabernet led by Winemaker Ed Killian and a regained focus to grow a long respected and historic Sonoma County-based brand.

"When we sold the Chateau in 2006, the brand went a little quiet," said John Grant, Senior Vice President of Marketing.  "Not any longer. It's time for us to tell the brand's story and tell it with verve.  Souverain has been a darling in our portfolio with an unbelievable legacy of winemaking that goes back to its founder Lee Stewart.  We believe our confident new look, combined with the winemaking excellence from Ed Killian, who crafts outstanding wines in his state-of-the-art winery at our Asti property, will regain Souverain's rightful position as a powerhouse in North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon," he added.

The North Coast tier of wines alongside the winery's flagship Winemaker's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Alexander Valley and Winemaker's Reserve Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley mark the launch of the new label.  The North Coast wines include beautiful expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot – all have a suggested retail price of $15 and hit the mark in a fast growing and popular segment.

The elements in the new label depict a crown representing Souverain's award-winning history, a cluster of grapes, the California golden bear and the thistle of Scotland, a tribute to Lee Stewart's own heritage. The well thought out design continues to the back label with a whimsical depiction of Stewart's famous, thick black-framed glasses. The new look of the Souverain label breathes fresh life into this storied brand but doesn't stray from its historic roots. The label is a complement to the precision winemaking that makes the quality wine showcased in the bottle. 

The history of Souverain began in the Napa Valley in 1944 when winemaking innovator, Lee Stewart, harvested his first crop of wine grapes from his Howell Mountain property. At the suggestion of his daughter, Stewart named his winery Souverain taken from the French word sovereign or supreme.  Stewart's early Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the 1960s were considered some of the best in California.  In 1974, the Souverain Winery moved to the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County to continue the pursuit of crafting supreme Cabernet Sauvignon.

"My mission has always been to make each vintage better than the last.  When you work with the concentrated fruit from our 120-year-old Alexander Valley Estate Vineyard and our custom built, modern Souverain winery, my job as winemaker for nearly 20 years just gets better and better," exclaimed Winemaker Ed Killian.  "I have always been proud of the team here and the wines we put in the bottle – I am honored to play a role in the winery's future success."