2023
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
PTS James Suckling
With 32 acres of estate vineyards in this single appellation, we make the most of the area’s well-drained gravel and loam soils producing wines of outstanding balance and elegance.
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2023
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
The Rutherford Cab shows a singular note of Sarsaparilla on the nose.
That woodsiness gives way to pastry characteristics like baker’s chocolate, dark cacao powder, and vanilla buttercream. There’s a playful whiff of blue raspberry and cream soda, grounded by lower-toned notes of slate. Robust and mouth-filling on the palate, the wine features dusty, fine-grained tannins and dreamy early summer flavors like overripe strawberry. A trace of gunmetal plays off the juicy backbone nicely. Cellar for 7-10 years and when the time comes to crack a bottle, serve it alongside a plate of grilled chicken and Mediterranean orzo salad.
Vintage
2023
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Rutherford, Napa Valley
Alcohol
15.5%
Vintage Notes
The 2023 growing season began with heavy winter rain, replenishing our reservoirs and lakes. Bud break was delayed due to a cooler than usual season, typically occurring once every 10 to 15 years. Despite this, we enjoyed a lengthy season with yields from average to 10% above average. With no disease pressure, increased soil water, and extended hang time, 2023 is destined to be legendary. Our vines thrived with healthy canopies, and the grapes ripened slowly, ensuring this “once-in-a-decade” vintage provided fruit that could perform at the apex of quality.
Winemaker’s Notes
The 2023 vintage was harvested from October 9th to October 19th. The grapes were hand-harvested at night when temperatures often dip to 50°F to capture vibrant acidity and fruit expression in the wine.
We first cold-soaked the must (crushed grapes) for gentle extraction and then fermented in stainless steel, concrete and oak barrel fermenters at 88°F. Rigorous pump-overs, increasing during the peak of the fermentation, developed deep color, rich varietal character, and fine tannins in the wine. The wine was aged in 49% new French oak and 11% new American oak barrels to meld the bright fruit expression with oak spice nuances. After three months of aging, we blended the vineyard components allowing them to marry for a total of 20 months of barrel élevage. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered to present the attributes of the vineyard in the purest form
possible, from the dirt to the glass!
