2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

Recent Tasting Notes

A little lighter in style than other vintages. Cherry/cassis, tobacco, cedar notes. Soft and supple in the mouth, milk chocolate.
 

Winemaker's Notes

A moderate Winter followed by a warm Spring led to an early budbreak. Two inches of rain in May followed by record heat in June slowed the vine’s growth. Light showers in mid-September didn’t damage the fruit, but reinvigorated the vines. We began harvesting the Cabernet on October 4 with the juice measuring:

We fermented Cabernet juice with the skins to insure thorough color and flavor extraction by pumping the juice from the bottom of the tank and sprinkling it over the skins. Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine stayed on the skins for another two weeks to soften the young tannins. We then moved the Cabernet into our wine caves where it was aged in French (80%) and American (20%) oak barrels. During its first Winter, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation which lowered its acidity and added richness. In its second year, this Cabernet was aged in both oak barrels and tanks.

We also produced two other Bordeaux grape varieties – Petit Verdot and Malbec – to intensify our wine’s color and add complexity to the midpalate. In 2000 we made five barrels of each and after many blending trials, we added 4% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec to this Cabernet. Although they are difficult to discern, we believe their addition was successful because they added depth and richness to our wine. Bottled in August 2002, the wine had:

Our 2000 Cabernet opens with young, bright fruit aromas of black cherry and cassis. Soft on the palate, this wine has a supple mouthfeel with complex flavors of cinnamon, mint, sweet vanilla and dark chocolate. Like its predecessors, the 2000 has the structure to allow it to develop for at least an additional ten years.

February 2005