Dense, concentrated aromas of ripe boysenberry, blackberry, dark plum and cassis, with a hint of spice, preface intense, deeply concentrated, blackberry, blackcurrant and dark cherry flavors, culminating in a long finish shot through with a blackberry fruitiness. With a superb balance of rich fruit, bright acidity and polished tannins, this Cabernet drinks beautifully upon release but develops even greater allure with another 7‐10 years' bottle age.
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\nThe grapes for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon come from top vineyards throughout the valley's finest Cabernet Sauvignon appellations, including estate vines. Securing fruit from multiple, diverse sites enables the crafting of a rich, yet elegant Cabernet marrying the lush black fruit and sturdy tannins typical of the valley's warmer northern districts with the bright fruit and acidity characteristic of its cooler southern climes. Each year, winemaker Julianne Laks vinifies dozens of different lots of Cabernet, assessing each one repeatedly in order to select only the very best lots for the final blend. Each lot is separately harvested, fermented and barrel aged before blending. Each is also cold‐soaked for two days prior to fermentation to foster early color, flavor and tannin extraction from the skins. Tank size, yeast strain, fermentation temperature and barrel type are specifically tailored to the fruit character of each lot. The component wines age for six months in French oak barrels before blending and the final blend spends another 12 months in barrel before bottling.
