Palate
The red and black fruit flavors characteristic of this site once again predominate
in the 2011 Panek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine beautifully exhibits the
caramelized brown sugar and maple syrup elements that make it such a pleasure to
drink young. A shade more structured than its predecessor, this vintage is equally
agreeable to food pairing and cellaring.
Growing Conditions
Late season rains and ground fog set the stage for the 2011 Napa Valley vintage.
Our yield from the Panek Vineyard drove home once again the distinct advantages
of this well-drained site at the warmer northern end of the valley. The grapes
didn’t sit in lingering dampness, and the vineyard team thinned leaves proactively
to keep the fruit dry. Canopy management effectively prevented disease while
the fog persisted, but did not leave the clusters exposed when the weather turned
warm again. As a result, the Panek fruit was fully ripe when the rain began again
in the later days of harvest with quality in no way compromised by the challenges
of the season.
Bottling
The wine was bottled without fining
or fltration on June 6, 2013.
Winemaking
Each of the four clones was picked and fermented separately. Clusters were
carefully inspected and hand sorted prior to sulphur-free destemming, then cold
soaked for seven days. Only natural yeasts were present in each small lot; we do
not inoculate for alcoholic or malolactic fermentation. Although each lot showed
distinct quality, we singled out clones 7 and 169 for the final blend. That these
earlier ripening clones proved exceptional in a wetter year is not surprising.
Aging
Aging: 20 months in 100% French
oak (85% new barrels)
Barrel Coopers: Ermitage and
Darnajou
