Tasting Notes A deep rich nose of sweet dark cherry, plum and dark boysenberry, complimented with hints of minerality and oak spice. The tension between ripeness and structure is the hallmark of the 2006 vintage. This wine surprises me with its more restrained and balanced character compared to most Napa Valley Cabernets, and yet the wine’s density, concentration and tremendous length indicate it will age superbly for 10 to 15 years.

2006 Winemaking A perfect growing year resulted in harvest on October 20th. After a week of soaking and inactivity, the native yeast began a normal fermentation of 14 days. After 27 days of skin contact, we drained it to 100% new oak, again using Taransaud, Gamba and St. Martin barrels. A total of 22 months in barrel mellowed tannins, enhanced aromas and created the flavors we wanted before bottling. Gove Celio and Kelly Wheat made the wines.

2006 Harvest 2006 began with a bang with extensive flooding of the Napa River. Followed by unseasonably warm weather in late winter and an abrupt cold snap mid to late spring. The cold weather dramatically set back bud break. Later flowering and bloom let to growth continuing on schedule. Fruit moved through rapid verasion reaching full color in September. Mild weather in the ripening period was without any heat spikes or early rains. 2006 began the CCOF certification process, this would take 3 years to complete. The vineyard is managed by Jack Neal and Son and was certified CCOF in 2009.

Service Notes 2006 Ackerman Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is in a very dark and heavy 13” tall bottle with a 2” punt. The black capsule has the family crest at the top with a thin putty colored line at it’s bottom. A 2” long cork has the crest and family name but no vintage date. It will be smooth and is stained dark on the wet end. The wine will pour very clear and free of sediment. A decanting for aeration is recommended to allow the wine to open for service.