Cenyth (pronounced sen-eth) is the ancient form of the word zenith. Deftly blending Bordeaux-style technique with

Sonoma county terroir, Cenyth is the expression of a winemaker, trained in the vineyards of France–and drawn to the hills of Sonoma County. To her, winemaking is an art. And here, balanced between the sunshine and drifting fog, she has found her ideal canvas. 

Made with fruit sourced from low-yielding hillside and mountain vineyards, it has distinct fruit notes, a solid backbone and a velvety mouthfeel. The nose conjures images of Bordeaux. “I only picked fruit that was, in my opinion, a true expression of Sonoma County,” Seillan said. “I focused on mountain fruit, which we farmed with low yields to capture the diverse terroirs of Sonoma Country for a complexity of flavors. As you noticed, the fruit goes directly to the nose and it has good depth. This is where the aging and blending of a diversity of Sonoma County vineyards is especially key.” 

Hélène began her training in the vineyards of Bordeaux as assistant winemaker to her father and his wines Vérité, Château Lassègue, Arcanum and Anakota. Hélène was drawn to the vineyards of Sonoma County to begin her joy as winemaker for Cenyth. "For me, winemaking is an art and Cenyth is my artistic expression of Sonoma County," said Hélène Seillan. "This place holds a very special place in my heart, and for my first wine, I wanted something that wasn't just about my style, but also where my passion for wine began. For Cenyth, I am taking what my father has taught me and applying his philosophy, while still inserting my own signature. It will be exciting to have people taste each vintage, and see the evolution of my style show through."

Cenyth began as a project conceptualized by Hélène and Julia Jackson, daughter of Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke. Hélène and Julia, childhood friends were looking to mak a lasting impression with Cenyth. Because they’ve worked harvests together in France and the Jackson and Seillan families have built extensive bonds, Cenyth was conceived with an impressive pedigree.“I think more important than two women is that it is a collaboration between two families that share a passion and vision,” The artwork for Cenyth was created by Julia, who painted the abstract 

piece for the front and back labels. "The canvas of Cenyth uses four colors that I think best represent Sonoma County, ue for the Pacific Ocean, yellow for the mustard flowers, gray for the fog and green for the vineyards," said Julia Jackson. The two women worked together to create a wine that would unite their artistic representation of the place they call home. "We are both artists, using different mediums to create our expression of Sonoma County in the bottle and on a canvas." 

Cenyth Bordeaux Blend Sonoma 2009
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93 points:
"The 2009 Cenyth is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec that achieved 14% alcohol, and was aged in 100% French oak for 15 months. Many 2009s are in the process of shutting down slightly, especially wines made from Bordeaux varietals. This wine shows sweet tannin and a more open knit personality, no doubt due to the 28% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by notes of licorice, incense, forest floor, mulberries, black cherries and black currants. Pierre Seillan believes that using four separate Sonoma County terroirs balances the wine beautifully, with high tannins from the mountain top vineyards and softer, silkier tannins from lower elevation sites."