CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Combining the lush, jammy flavors of Napa's vineyards with the red and black fruit flavors typical of Sonoma County, our 2008 Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon strikes the perfect balance between elegance and structure. Aromas of dark fruit jam, sweet nuts and black pepper meld with dark berry fruit flavors against a backdrop of dense, chewy tannins and a rich, full mouthfeel.

The 2008 Napa Valley growing season began with the challenges of both drought and frost, but the weather quickly moderated. The weather remained fairly mild through the harvest months, with just a few heat spikes as harvest began, leading to lower yields of grapes of exceptional quality, exhibiting rich, ripe dark fruit characteristics. Meanwhile, unusually dry weather in late winter and spring, with an unexpected frost in late April, created challenging growing conditions in Sonoma. However, the end of spring and the summer months were typically moderate and warm with few heat spikes, which provided perfect conditions for the ripening of the grapes. Yields were lower than previous vintages, but the result was fruit of excellent quality with intensity and depth.

The grapes for our 2008 Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon were whole berry fermented to eliminate harsh bitterness and maximize the fresh fruit character in the finished wine. The grapes were inoculated with Bordeaux and D254 yeast strains and fermented at temperatures below 88°F to express the full range of Cabernet flavors.

 
Varietal Content:




Varietal Origin:

Alcohol Level:
81% Cabernet Sauvignon
13% Merlot
4% Petit Verdot
1% Petite Sirah
1% Cabernet Franc 
68% Napa County
32% Sonoma County
13.3%