Growing Conditions
To put it simply – this was one of our great modern vintages in the Napa Valley. It almost had a
Bordeaux feeling to it – moderate rainfall for all but three months before the real rains arrived in October. By
then, everything was in the barn. No significant heat spikes, which made for a very long even growing season. The
only complaint I had with all our vineyard sites was, I wish I had harvested more grapes. Cluster size and weights
were down, and we were 20% off of average when we finished picking. It was one of those years you wish you just
had more grapes. Spectacular quality, both reds and whites. The wines have deep colors, structure, concentration,
and depth of flavor.
Winemaking
The 2016 Oakville Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon is again
comprised of the more exposed and warmer upper block of Tierra Roja and
some remarkable Cabernet Franc from another exceptional Oakville vineyard.
The addition of the Cabernet Franc and the Darnajou barrels that this was
aged in again gives this wine a bit more of the earthy, pencil-lead profile than
the designated bottling of Tierra Roja. This wine also spent additional time on
its skins giving it a bit more grip and intensity on the palate than the 2015
