Nose
A deliciously perfumed wine. Aromatics of violets, baking spice, caramel, raspberry and cherry.
Palate
Graceful, bright fruit and a long, lingering finish. Balanced with fresh, dark plum, raspberry and cocoa flavors. Youthful tannins will soften with time.
Growing Conditions
Napa Valley weather in 2009 featured near-ideal steady, mild temps from start to finish, except for some heavy rains at the end of the season which came earlier than expected. In Napa vintages like this tend to produce structured wines, with elegant fruit
and deep complexity. However, as the big rains approached we had to make a tough decision. Pick the fruit now or roll the dice and wait through the storms. We opted to pick our Cabernet blocks before the rain, and we are glad we did because
the fruit we brought in was just beautiful. Our yield was relatively light though, resulting in very limited supply for this vintage.
Winemaking
The ‘09 Cab is made in the the classically elegant style of Napa Valley’s cooler vintages, which tend to produce age-worthy wines of increased structure and complexity. Accordingly we “dropped” a lot of fruit in the 2009 growing season to compensate for the consistently cool weather.
Aging
Unfined and unfiltered. 20 months in barrel. 100% Premium French Chateau New Oak. St. Martin, Bel Air, Boutes, Sylvain artisan
atelier cooperage. 35% new.
Food Pairing
An ideal companion to rich, meaty dishes or hearty pastas.
