Early in the year, drought preceded a hard frost, which led to uneven set. This resulted in a much smaller crop than normal — overall down six percent from 2007. Summer temperatures were fairly even, but because of the lack of water in the spring, wildfires erupted throughout the North Bay. Luckily, the Battuello Vineyard (a plot of gnarly vines in Napa Valley) was spared from exposure to the resulting smoke, so the grapes were not tainted. Once the fires were out and harvest began, we were hit with heat spikes. Eventually everything settled down, the rest of harvest went smoothly and despite the challenges, the fruit was fantastic.
This wine is one of great character with excellent cellaring potential. While the fruit is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, we smoothed its rough edges by adding a small amount of Merlot and Petit Verdot from our Estate mountainside vineyard on Duncan Peak in Mendocino County, just as we did last year. We believe this wine is more than a worthy successor to the 2007 vintage, which won gold medals in major competitions.
The color is deep ruby and the bouquet is classic Cabernet Sauvignon, with notes of chocolate and leather. The flavors are well rounded, dominated by red raspberries and darker fruits. The finish is long and smooth. We serve it with prime rib and other roasted meats. Did someone say rack of lamb?