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2005 Cabernet SauvignonFor our Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 growing season began somewhat inauspiciously, as heavy rains in the winter and spring quickly made this one of the wettest years in recent memory. As the vines responded to the rain with a vigor not seen in other varietals, it quickly became necessary to manage our Cabernet plantings with a much more intensive care than usual. Through shoot thinning, repeatedly dropping fruit, and carefully maintaining the canopy all the while, we worked to control both crop load and overall output while the vines seemed to resist every effort to contain their productive fury. Eventually, after a long season of continual attention, we were able to bring in a crop of considerably high quality, an unlikely feat considering the circumstances. After undergoing an extended cold soak, the fruit was then fermented in small lots and aged in French Oak, with approximately 30% new oak, for 18 months.The end result is an elegant wine with a restraint and quiet intensity that stand in marked contrast to its unruly beginnings. Featuring rich black cherry aromas on the nose, blackberry and dried cherry intermingle with hints of vanilla in the middle, while a touch of crushed raspberry is present on the finish. Moderate tannins serve to hold the fruit in check. In many ways an excellent example of how a wine may harness without the breaking the spirit of its underlying fruit, our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, layered, and, ultimately, rather beautiful. 195 cases produced 14.3% alcohol 750 ml $19.95 Purchase Now
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