Nose

The lush aromas are of black fruit, violets, and the perfect hint of baking
spices.

Palate

Howell Mountain is the last vineyard we harvest, and the flavors show ripe, concentrated
dark fruit like cassis and blackberry with nuances of dark chocolate, French roast coffee, and brown
sugar. This robust wine is velvety smooth with a round, dense, chewy texture and lingering finish.

Growing Conditions

Two natural events persist in California, droughts and earthquakes, and in 2014 we
experienced both in Napa Valley. Pine Ridge Vineyards sits on solid rock so the winery did not
suffer damage during the earthquake. It was the third consecutive year of drought and the third
fantastic vintage with perfectly ripe fruit coupled with high acidity. Weather overall was a bit cooler
than in 2013, but conditions were excellent with no real threat to the vines. A mild winter combined
with heavy rains in February and March nourished the thirsty vines and resulted in early budbreak.

Harvest

The grapes were hand harvested at night, carefully sorted in the vineyard, and
brought to the cellar and destemmed.

Winemaking

Following a cold soak, fermentation occurred at a high
temperature to ensure maximum extraction was achieved.

Aging

The wine was racked to 100
percent new French oak barrels, where it was aged for 24 months prior to bottling.

Food Pairing

This voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignon would make an apt partner for a hearty yet
uncomplicated dish, such as braised short ribs with spring gremolata, or steak au poivre to
complement the black pepper character of the wine. For the perfect cheese pairing, try Carr Valley
Cave Aged Marisa, a sheep’s milk cheese from Wisconsin. The creamy texture and brown-butter
scent will complement the flavors in the wine.