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2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District 
This Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon opens with intense aromas of juicy ripe plums, black cherries and blackberries. The flavors expand to include black tea, licorice and fresh bay leaf. Broad, ample tannins remind us that this is an Oakville wine and the experience concludes with a lengthy, persistent dark cherry finish.
Appellation:
Oakville AVA
Grape Sourcing:
100% Oakville, 93% To Kalon
Winemaker Notes:
The 2008 vintage began with above normal rainfall but then was followed by one of the driest springs on record. April frosts threatened but vigilant vineyard managers protected the crop from severe damage. Dry winds during bloom and berry set reduced yields and then, finally, Mother Nature looked kindly on our vines and provided an excellent ripening season. Because of the lighter crop, harvest came a bit early with the last Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ripening in mid- October.
At the heart of the Napa Valley lies the Oakville appellation, a district that boasts conditions perfectly suited to classic Bordeaux grape varieties. Our renowned To Kalon vineyard is situated at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains on the western side of the appellation. During the growing season and into the fall harvest, early morning fog gives way to sufficient heat that allows the grapes to ripen fully.
The grapes were hand-harvested as each vineyard block achieved optimal ripeness. The fruit was then gently handsorted and clusters were destemmed directly into oak tanks using the gravity-flow philosophy which eliminates the use of a must pump. After fermentation, the young wine remained on the skins (extended maceration) for 40 days to enhance varietal complexity and create refined, supple tannins. The free-run wine flowed by gravity directly to barrels and the pomace (skins and seeds) was conveyed to a basket press for a gentle extraction of the remaining wine. The wine was then aged in French oak barrels (70 % new) for eighteen months and was bottled in August of 2010.