1992 Cabernet Sauvignon

Recent Tasting Notes

Intriguing. Very developed nose, milk chocolate, cherry berry fruit aromas, hint of tomatoes. In the mouth, soft, silky, dark chocolate; chewy sweet fruit finish. 
 

Winemaker's Notes

Despite the continued drought, experts termed 1992 “a nearly ideal growing season.” Warm summer days and cool nights allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and develop mature flavors. Harvested on September 26 from our 23-year-old Old Mill block, the grapes were crushed and pumped into fermenters with:

Pasteur Champagne yeast was added to begin fermentation. To produce red wine, the color must be extracted from the grapes’ skins during fermentation. CO2 gas (one by-product of yeast activity) bubbled up through the skins causing them to float to the top and form the “cap”. To insure rich color and flavor extraction, fermenting juice was drawn from the bottom of the tank and sprinkled over the cap several times a day until fermentation was complete.

Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine remained with the cap for another two weeks to soften the Cabernet tannins. It was then drained from the tanks and the skins pressed. The first year of aging was in French oak barrels and tanks, where it underwent malolactic fermentation (the conversion of the grapes’ natural malic acid to the softer lactic acid.) Its second year of aging was only in barrels. Fined in June with fresh egg whites to soften the wine, this Cabernet was bottled in August 1994 when it measured:

Our 1992 Cabernet displays its youth with its intense blackberry nose that is a characteristic of our vineyard. Layers of dark chocolate, mint and cedar add complexity to the wine. Its soft entry, round tannins and supple finish assure continued development for years to come.