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A rich, supple wine with aromas of currant, blackberry, cassis and a hint of coffee. Moderate tannins balance bold, ripe fruit. Complex and robust, this full-bodied wine shows deep texture through a smooth finish. Will age nicely for up to twenty years.
The Vineyard
Approximately 9.9 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon
grapes were planted in the southwest section of the winery’s Estate
Vineyard in 1996. The vineyard is located in South Monterey County’s
Lockwood Valley, a coastal valley on the western Santa Lucia Mountain
Range a short 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyard’s southwest
location brings warmer daytime temperatures with diurnal temperature
variations exceeding 50 degrees throughout the growing season. This
ensures the balance of acidity in the ripe, full development of fruit.
An ideal coarse, gravely loam soil with low moisture levels enable
controlled water management practices early season, ultimately
resulting in intense, vibrant fruit on the vine. Small berry clusters
and deep varietal character are a result of the vineyard’s unique
climate, where we thin the crop load to under 2 tons to the acre.
Planted on its own roots in 1996, only 4.9 acres of the Cabernet
Sauvignon block was hand harvested for this Private Reserve wine. The Vintage
The
year 2000 was a virtually picture perfect growing season, with a fairly
uneventful spring and summer weather pattern. A cool, even growing
season, except for a minor heat stretch in June, allowed for steady
ripening and good fruit development early in the season. Yields were
average for the Chardonnay. Harvest date: September 26, 2000
Winemaking Notes
One
hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were crushed for minimal
maceration and inoculated with Pris de Mousse yeast to maintain many of
the fruit components. Fermented warm up to 85 degrees, the juice was
pumped over 2 times daily to increase the color and tannin extract in
the wine. At dryness, the wine was pressed off and allowed to settle
until completion of malolactic fermentation. Aged in 100% new French
Nevers oak barrels from cooper Nadalie. Racked annually, and aged for
26 months.
Tasting Notes
A rich, supple wine with
aromas of currant, blackberry, cassis and a hint of coffee. Moderate
tannins balance bold, ripe fruit. Complex and robust, this full-bodied
wine shows deep texture through a smooth finish. Will age nicely for up
to twenty years. Wine Statistics
Varietal Composition- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation- Monterey County
Harvest Date- September 26, 2000
Brix at Harvest- 24.8
Barrel Aged- 26 months
Cooperage- French, Nevers
Age of Oak- 100% new
Total Acidity- 0.65g/100ml
pH- 3.60
Alcohol- 13.2%
Production- 622 6-packs
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