Growing Season

The growing season was long with hot summer days, tempered by cool nights from the cool ocean breeze that flows into 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.  

2021 was a fantastic growing season and this vintage captures the essence of that season in each bottle.  A dry year with sunny summer temperatures allowed the two Cabernet clonal varieties and Petite Verdot to ripen evenly. 

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

Winemaking

• Original Brix: 24.6

• pH: 3.48

• Alcohol by Vol. 14.6%

• Aged 13 months new and seasoned French oak casks.

• Bottled January, 2023

• 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.

Dark 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 Anthocyanins (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.