Palate
The 2013 vintage has similar flavors to what we saw last season, with an elegant, juicy entry and berry cobbler, cinnamon and vanilla flavors. Mocha and wood spices unite, layer by layer, to form a finish that is rich with seamless tannins.
Growing Conditions
Grape lots were blended from several benchland and mountain ranches that naturally yield smaller crops and result in intensely colored and flavored wine. Vine canopies were carefully managed to protect the grapes from direct sunlight while the fruit was allowed an extended hang time to fully ripen.
2013 was one of the earlier harvests to start and finish in a decade. The normal 6-8 week harvest was done in 5, and in some cases we were picking all different varietals on the same day. Vines started their development quite early this year because of the warm dry spring which created ideal conditions for fruit set. The growing season was idyllic with nearly perfect temperatures for healthy vines and fruit ripening. A few brief rains in September had no impact. The delicate skinned varietals had already been harvested and the slightly cooler weather in October allowed plenty of hang time for the Cabernet Sauvignon to develop favors promoting rich, ripe, and complex wines.
Winemaking
In the winery we used a variety of techniques to maximize flavor intensity while managing tannin levels including cold soaking, pump over, and varying fermentation lengths and temperatures.
Aging
The wine was aged in oak for 16 months.
