Though still in its youth, this is a wonderfully aromatic and fragrant wine, with vibrant, lifted aromas of spearmint, blackcurrant, violets, graham cracker crumbs and loganberry. On the palate blackberry and blueberry flavors mingle with cocoa and cola notes. Though the tannins impart a touch of youthful dryness, decanting reveals this wine’s classic Cabernet character, with a lovely structure, generous mouth-filling flavors and a long, satisfying finish.
From our first Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blocks to our final red-varietal Estate picks, our 2009 harvest spanned more than two months. Though the 2009 growing season presented certain challenges—from early shatter to late-season rain—a thoughtful response in the vineyards yielded smaller-than-normal crops of high-quality fruit. This response included aggressive leafing, an early thinning protocol and a heavy field sort to select only the most desirable grapes.
Harvest Dates: October 8 — November 5, 2009
Average Sugar at Harvest: 26.4° Brix
10 Napa Valley appellations
Varietal Content
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Cooperage
100% French oak château-style barrels (60 gallons)
Barrel Aging: 16 Months
Age of Barrels: 40% New, 60% Second Vintage
Production/Technical Data
Alcohol: 14.5%
Titratable Acidity: 0.59 g/100ml
pH: 3.69
Bottled: May 2011
Released: November 2011