Nose

layered aromas of ripe boysenberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, black fig and dark plum, with whiffs of loam, savory dried herbs and sweet oak.

Palate

The sumptuous, deeply concentrated palate delivers plush, mouth-filling flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, black cherry and black plum supported by ripe, fleshy tannins and culminating in a long, harmonious finish featuring bright fruit, spice and mineral tones.

Growing Conditions

2014 was another in a series of excellent vintages in northern California. After a rainy February, which rejuvenated the vines, a warm, dry spring led to early bud-break, flowering and grape set. Summer was mild with few heat spikes, allowing our cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc grapes to ripen slowly and evenly while developing impressively concentrated flavors.

Winemaking

Our 2014 Vaca is a blend of multiple lots of wine from our Doggwood and Suscol Springs vineyards. Each lot was separately harvested, cold-soaked (to enhance color, flavor and tannin extraction), tank-fermented and barrel-aged prior to blending. Tank size, yeast strain, fermentation temperature and barrel type were tailored to the fruit character of each lot. The 2014 Vaca spent a total of 21 months aging in French oak barrels, 62% new, prior to bottling on July 21st, 2016.

Aging

21 months in French oak barrels, 62% new