Vineyard

Early Winter rains (over 25 inches) and frosty mornings marked the beginning of 2013. Spring was relatively dry with only 5 inches of rain; mild Summer temperatures allowed the grapes to ripen slowly intensifying the flavors. 2013 was another year that Winemakers dream of – even paced, exceptional fruit quality and good yields. Harvest began on October 16.

Cellar

To produce this wine, we first sorted the fruit (to eliminate leaves and stems), then fermented the juice with its skins to extract both color and flavor. CO₂ gas (a by-product of fermentation) bubbled up through the skins causing them to float to the top and form the “cap”.  To ensure thorough color and flavor extraction, we pumped juice from the bottom of the tank and sprinkled it over the cap throughout fermentation. 

Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine remained with its skins for another two weeks to soften the young tannins. We then drained the wine, pressed the skins and moved the Cabernet into our 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 to the palate. In its second year, this Cabernet was aged in both oak barrels and oak tanks. After many blending trials, we decided to add 3% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Malbec to the 2013 Cabernet to increase the wine’s depth and length. The wine was bottle in August 2015. 

Drinkability

At our Annual Vertical Tasting in February 2024, we tasted the 2013 and here are our notes: Blackberries, Fraises des bois, fresh mint, roasted coffee beans and cassis. Sweet fruit entry. Carpaccio, Niçoise olives, sweet vanilla and Aztec chocolate flavors.

At Harvest:

25.1° Brix sugar
0.66 g/100 mls TA
3.48 pH

At Bottling:

14.4% alcohol
0.57 g/100 mls TA
3.75 pH