2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
True to the varietal and the region, this powerful, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of juicy black cherries and Italian plums, seamlessly transitioning to flavors of ripe dark fruit. Its rich, fleshy texture, lengthy finish, and impeccable balance impart a regal maturity to this wine that belies its true age.
Varietal Composition:
85% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc 2% Syrah 1% Petit Verdot
Appellation:
Napa Valley
Grape Sourcing:
100% Napa Valley (40% To Kalon Vineyard)
Winemaker Notes:
Our 2008 harvest rewarded us with a small crop of very high quality fruit, although the months leading up to it gave our vineyard team grey hair. Even so, Napa Valley came through remarkably unscathed by the drought, frost, fire and hot winds that plagued other California regions. After heavy rainfall, spring turned into the driest on record. The droughtcondition spring months were punctuated by the worst April frosts in several decades; our team protected the vineyards during 25 sleepless nights to save our crop. The low rainfall, coupled with dry winds during bloom and berry set, reduced yields 25 percent or more in most varieties. Fortunately, Mother Nature’s mood improved, resulting in an excellent ripening period. Harvest went “textbook” smoothly for all varietals, and we harvested this Cabernet Sauvignon September 6 through October 13, 2008.
We selected the fruit for this wine from vineyards displaying the finest terroir—a combination of climate, site and soil— to elicit the most concentrated, expressive, and regionally representative Cabernet Sauvignon that the Napa Valley has to offer.
Our vineyard team hand-harvested the vineyards in the cool early morning hours and immediately brought the clusters to the winery where they were gently de-stemmed and pressed. The must (juice and skins) fermented in a combination of stainless steel and oak tanks. The 21 days of extended maceration (skin contact) extracted maximum flavors and silky tannins. Sixteen months of barrel-aging provided additional complexity to this refined wine. The wine was bottled June of 2010.