Growing Season

The growing season was long with warm summer days, tempered by cool nights from the cool ocean breeze that flows through the valley, perfect conditions for the long ripening needed for Cabernet.  The fruit was beautifully ripe with a perfect balance of sugars, phenolics, and acidity, with intense concentration of flavors.  

The 2023 vintage was extraordinary with a rare long growing season and this wine captures the essence of that season in each bottle.  A dry year with sunny summer temperatures and an unusually cool autumn allowed the two Cabernet clonal varieties and Petite Verdot to ripen evenly with extended hang time. 

The grapes were grown in premium hillside vineyard blocks that received less water which extended the ripening time and provided a longer growing season.  These hillside vines struggle more than valley vines and produce smaller grapes with greater concentration and tannin structure.  These ultra-premium grapes are selected for our 'RESERVE' wines.

After two weeks of fermentation, the wine was aged and matured in French oak casks for 13 months.

Harvest
The fruit was hand harvested in late-October and loaded into 36 pound lugs to avoid damage, and shipped in refrigerated trucks to preserve the freshness of the fruit.

Winemaking

• Original Brix: 27.0

• pH: 3.59

• Alcohol by Vol. 15.6%

• Aged 13 months new and seasoned French oak casks.

• Bottled February, 2025

• Molinas Cork Grade 0 (finest)

Tasting Notes

An opulent wine with hillside fruit, soft tannins, and tremendous length to the finish, this superb vintage will age beautifully over the next 10 years.

Concentrated and full bodied with flavors of red fruits with pronounced notes of cherry and blueberry.

More about the Cabernet clones:

Cabernet 169 clone: This is a Bordeaux clone that first came to the US in 2003. Since then, it has been gaining popularity in all the major Cabernet growing regions. Clone 169 has good berry size, high vigor, and a well-balanced acid to sugar ratio. Depending on the winemaking style it can produce a big, bold Cabernet with intense complexity. The color is a vibrant, deep red and the mouth feel tends to be powerful with a lingering finish.  Most Cabernet clone 169 wines are priced at $100 and up.  

Cabernet 15 clone: This clone originates from Aquitaine, France (South East in Bordeaux France). It is known for its high yield, high levels of Anthocyanin (attributes for aging and color), and tannin. The wines are described as having raspberry, cherry, plum, and cocoa notes. It has an intense body and is structurally solid. This clone produces an age worthy Cabernet.

When we blend these two clonal varieties, we create a wine with outstanding flavor, complexity, and suppleness and have aging potential well beyond 10 years.