BRION 2003 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, NAPA VALLEY

Tasting Notes

Intense, concentrated and rich with aromas of lush raspberry and cassis, the opulent fruit is accented in complex mocha, mint, white pepper, black licorice and loamy earth nuance. In the mouth the pure, dense fruit is shaded with jasmine flower and toasty oak notes while the ripe, fine-grained tannins endow the wine with voluptuous texture, all finishing in a long alluring aftertaste. Beautiful now, will age well through the decade. Best from 2009-2015. 442 cases produced.

Vineyards

Our Cabernet Grapes came from the Bennett 'Twin Cedars' Vineyard in Coombsville, a southerly appellation of Napa Valley. The vineyard, although staying warm and dry, is generally a little cooler than many Napa Valley vineyards and therefore allows more hang-time for the grapes. This brings greater concentration and layering to the finished wine. The vineyard soil is rocky loam, which provides good drainage and low nutrient concentration. Under these stresses the vines work hard to produce a limited amount of fruit.

Our Merlot came from the Caldwell Vineyard, which is also located in Napa's Coombsville appellation. The northwestern exposure of the vineyard moderates daytime temperatures and extends the sun exposure into the late afternoon. The Merlot develops a rich ripe character that compliments the more structured and nuanced Cabernet.

Weather

The 2003 vintage began with a shot of heat in March which brought an early bud break. Late rains and cooler temperatures in April slowed the pace of the season, offsetting the early start. The moisture in the soils from the late rainfall helped ensure excellent vine health for the growing season. Outstanding weather prevailed for the heart of the summer, with a consistent pattern of warm to hot afternoons and cold nights. The temperate heat of the day allowed the grapes to ripen at an optimal pace while the cooler nights helped maintain their natural acidity, giving great balance to the resulting wines.

Harvest

After the long, balanced growing season, a few hot days in September helped accelerate ripening. The weather returned to a more even pattern of warm days and cool mornings into October, allowing the 2003 crop extra hang-time and slow maturation. The Cabernet was picked just before Halloween and showed great complexity and balance. The initial characteristics were similar to classic, long vintages like 1986 and 1994.

Winemaking

The full crop of 2003 came in with beautiful clean clusters cool in the early morning. Following a 3-day cold soak, the fermentation took 7-9 days followed by a 35 day extended maceration. After which the wine was pressed and transferred to small French Oak barrels for aging. The wine was bottled in summer 2005 after 20 months maturation in barrel and further aged in bottle for the minimum of an additional year.

General Info

Composition: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Winemakers: Massimo Monticelli
Appellation: 100% Napa Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
Vineyards: Bennett-Cabernet-Blocks 6 and 8, Caldwell-Merlot-Block 14
Bottled: July 2005
Oak Profile: 20 Months in 80% new French Oak
Production: 442 cases
Harvest: Cabernet October 29th, 2003