Nose
Intense aromas of blackberry, cassis, graphite, vanilla and cedar.
Palate
The palate shows intense notes of boysenberry, plum, blueberry, camphor, smoke, coffee, cedar, and
Asian spices. The wine is wound tightly and should be decanted in its youth. With proper cellaring, it
will evolve for 10 to 15 years.
Growing Conditions
Our Napa Cabernet receives choice lots from our Estate Vineyard located in the hills high above the
town of St. Helena, as well as fruit from other top Napa vineyards, including Stagecoach and
Salvador.
VINEYARDS: Merryvale St. Helena Estate, Salvador, Linda Vista, Stagecoach,
Sugarloaf, Broken Rock, Kenefick, Larkmead
Harvest
The 2010 harvest in the Napa Valley was an uneven but ultimately very rewarding vintage. The
coolest summer since 1972 continued into the fall, resulting in some of the latest picking dates in
memory. The extended hang time increased complexity in the grapes, which were picked at
moderate to slightly lower sugar levels. The results were outstanding white wines with bright acidity
and wonderful aromatics, and red wines with dense color, superior concentration, and balance, all at
moderate alcohol levels.
Winemaking
The fruit was hand-picked and triple sorted before undergoing extended maceration and a
long, cool fermentation for increased flavor, color and aroma. Native and inoculated primary fermentation, Native malolactic fermentation. Our Napa Cabernet bottling is always blended with other Bordeaux
varietals for their added aromatic and balanced tannin contributions.
Aging
The wine was aged for 23 months in
50% new French oak barrels.
Appearance
This wine is very dark in color.
