Nose
Our 2014 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas
of Rainier cherry with a touch of light blonde roast coffee.
Palate
Flavors of Santa Rosa plum and raspberry compote with a wet
stone finish are complemented with a lot of good structure.
This Cabernet Sauvignon is with nice cherries on the palate
and has a bright balanced acidity, a lot of good structure, firm
tannins and sandalwood characteristics.
Growing Conditions
We selected grapes from some of our finest vineyards in
Rutherford. Two-thirds originated from our Estate and onethird
from a vineyard on the west side of Rutherford. The
estate vineyards are planted on deeper soil and tend to be
warmer on average which provides volume and texture to the
wine. The grapes from the west side are in a cooler site which
provides coffee notes and a subtle minerality.
The 2014 vintage in Napa Valley was one of the earliest
harvested vintages in years. A warm spring led to early
bud break and created the perfect environment for
flowering and fruit set. With warm days and cool nights,
our team was able to maintain ideal acid levels with
optimum, bright fruit flavors.
Winemaking
A mix of clone 33, 169 and clone 4, the grapes were
fermented on the skins for 34-49 days with pumpovers twice
daily.
Aging
After native fermentation, the wine was gently pressed,
racked and aged 19 months in 100% French oak barrels, with 55% new
oak. Tightly grained Taransaud, Baron, and Ermitage barrels
were selected because of their ability to slowly impart oak to
the wine for a consistent, well-rounded aging process while
yielding subtle oak influences to the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Food Pairing
Pairs well with
seared filet mignon or veal chops.
