Nose
Aromas of black currant and blueberry, with nuances of blackberry jam on toast, dark chocolate truffle and forest floor. The oak adds the right amount of complexity with aromatic cedar, cinnamon and clove.
Palate
The wine has great depth of black fruit flavor, with a strong expression of sweet black cherry and dark plum. There is a complexity in the nose that hints of tobacco, Mexican spice and a briary thicket. This full-bodied cabernet sauvignon has expressive tannin, and, with good acidity, shows great aging potential.
Growing Conditions
The 2015 winter was one of the driest on record for the Napa Valley. The region received 75% of normal precipitation. The relatively dry, warm winter promoted early bud break, and a cool spring supported a long flowering period. The balance of the season was moderate to warm, the crop was light, with small clusters and small concentrated berries, and the fruit ripened about two weeks early on average. A moderate harvest gave way to a warm spell that completed the ripening process a bit early.
Harvest
Cab Franc 9/9 at 26.0° Brix; Merlot 09/9 at 26.1° brix; Petit Verdot 9/9 at 26.8° Brix; Cabernet Sauvignon 9/8-9/13 at 26.0° Brix.
Bottling
March 2018
Winemaking
5-day cold soak, then fermented in stainless steel fermenters at 75-86°F for 10-28 days of skin contact.
Aging
Barrel aging: 27.5 months. Barrels: 100% French oak (63% new)
Appearance
Opaque dark ruby.
