Adelaida Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Winemaker's Notes:

The Wine Penetrating richness is the hallmark of this wine, showing extreme purity of fruit (think black currants and cigar box aromatics). Tasting notes in dicate that there is a whisper of Cabernet Franc in this blend, but at 5.5% it seems more like a stage whisper to me. Perhaps even sotto voce, if we're going to take this graphic analogy to its more accurate incarnation. But whatever the words chosen to describe it, the Franc brings a satisfying blueberry vibrancy to this wines aromatics, and was a wise addition, turning a merely good Cabernet into a memorable experience waiting to be uncorked. But this wine's key feature is its impressive minerality. I love this characteristic in the wines from this part of Paso Robles (Justin and Tablas Creek come to mind), a trait often found in old world wines. Its a trait contributed by the Limestone soils - the same soil type found in many of the most prestigious vineyards of Europe. Drink now or hold until 2015. The Vineyard This wine is the crown atop Adelaidas portfolio, a memorable wine that expresses the essence of the vineyard. The Viking vineyard is now 16 years old just hitting its prime for fruit quality and quantity. It lies 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean and at 1,600 feet above sea level - well above the fog bank. This additional sun exposure assures adequate photosynthesis and phenolic ripening. The coastal influence also provides temperature variations of 40 to 50 degrees between day and night a diurnal swing that aids in the retention of balanced fruit acidity and brings both brightness and clarity to the wine. The Vinification The small sweet berries are hand-harvested from the steep 30 degree grade and are handled with non-interventionist winemaking practices (open top fermentation, indigenous yeast, and gentle hand punch-downs). The wine spends about 21 months in a selection of center of France oak cooperage - 100% Tronais (Trawn-SAY) Forest. Even though these are some of the best barrels money can buy, there is noticeable variation between the barrels. This wine is a barrel select from those the winemaker deems the best. These selected barrels are then bottled and aged for a minimum of one more year before release. Cheers! Dave the Wine Merchant