Nose
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Howell Mountain wine with attractive aromas of
blackberries, black cherries and freshly cracked walnut.
Palate
Recognizable minerality with
crushed rock and graphite that we so often find on Howell Mountain. The silky tannins are
ripe, lush and well coated with a solid knit. It is an elegant yet dense wine with a velvety
texture, great focus and length.
Growing Conditions
This wine is produced with Cabernet Sauvignon grown at Hughes Vineyard on the west side
of Howell Mountain.
Harvest
All handpicked on October 23, 28 and November 4, 2009 and brought to
the winery in our 35 lb picking bins.
Bottling
No fining or
filtering prior to bottling as we wish to preserve all the fine nuances the wine has to offer.
Winemaking
After a long hang-time, we harvested late October and early November and sorted the
berries on our state-of-the-art sorting tables with a crew of twelve. The must is cold soaked
for about 7 days, using lots of dry ice in addition to the cold glycol system to keep the must
at 40°F before the alcoholic fermentation starts. Extended maceration is common practice
for us, and we taste each tank on a daily basis until we decide to barrel down the wine in 100
% French oak barrels. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrels.
Aging
22 months in 100 % new French oak barrels.
