Technical Information

Composition: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon

                     5% Cabernet Franc

Vineyard: Block Six

Appellation: Chalk Hill

Aging: 19 months

Barrels: 20% New French Oak

            20% New American Oak

            60% Neutral French Oak

Alcohol: 15.8%

pH / TA: 3.87 / 5.9 g/L

Production: 124 Cases

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon - Block Six Vineyard

Vintage

Block Six was our least challenging vineyard in 2015. Its warm location protected it from the cold temperatures that negatively affected pollination in the region’s vineyards during May of 2015. Grape clusters were large and plentiful and the fruit ripened beautifully. After several rounds of grape sampling I scheduled the harvest for September 9.

Winemaking

The Cabernet Sauvignon fermentation was slightly more challenging than our other wines. Initial processing was straightforward. The grapes were destemmed without crushing into an open-top fermenter and then cold-soaked at 55 °F for five days to increase flavor complexity and color. The yeast was then added to the grapes to start the fermentation. When it came to fermenting, the Cabernet Sauvignon was a tortoise amongst hares. This fermentation proceeded at a slow and steady pace for 22 days, nearly twice as long as the next longest fermentation. While I certainly developed a few gray hairs worrying about it, no issues arose and it finished without any problems. As always, I tasted and monitored the wine daily and by the time it was pressed off the skins and seeds it had a beautiful rich flavor and a nice dark red color. This wine was aged for 19 months in French and American oak barrels. It is a marvelous example of a Northern California Cabernet. The wine showcases a perfect mouthfeel, dark berry flavors, a balanced acidity and an incredibly long finish. It pairs beautifully with almost any food and is approachable enough to enjoy on a random weeknight or age for many years in your cellar.

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Awards

• Silver Medal - 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

• Silver Medal - 2018 Indy International Wine Competition

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