Rudd Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville(2003)

The 2003 Rudd Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is the third vintage
produced from the newly re-planted vineyards of our benchland site in
Oakville. The vineyard is planted in very rocky, red volcanic soils using
low-vigor rootstock, in a high-density, 4’ x 4’ vine spacing. The
Cabernet Sauvignon for this wine came from the highly regarded
Bordeaux clone #337 and two intensely-flavored, historic California
clones, #4 and #15. The Cabernet Franc is clone #1, the Merlot is clone
#181, the Petit Verdot is clone #400, and the Malbec is from clones #9
and read more...#595. All of these low-yielding clones were planted because they
consistently give high quality and are very effective at expressing our
Oakville terroir.
The 2003 growing season began several days later than normal and, as
the result of a variably cool spring, was about a week behind by bloom in
late May. Alternately cool and hot weather during bloom brought a
flowering that promoted even ripening with slightly below average crop
levels. Harvest began ten days later than normal, with Merlot on
September 11 and 15, followed by Malbec on September 18 and 22,
Cabernet Franc on September 19 and 20, and Petit Verdot on September
25. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested between September 30 and
October 22. The weather during harvest was dry, with moderate
temperatures bracketed by early September and mid-October heat spikes
- allowing for full ripening. As a result, this wine has concentrated, fruitforward
aromatics with a deep, rich mid-palate and a well-integrated
finish. After 16 to 25 days on the skins, the wine went into barrel for
twenty months. It was fined in-barrel with fresh egg whites and bottled
unfiltered in June 2005.
Blend: 76%Cabernet
Sauvignon, 7%Cabernet Franc,
6 % Petit Verdot, 6 % Malbec,
5 % Merlot
Appellation: Oakville
Fermentation: Native yeast
and natural malolactic
Aging: 20 months in French
oak; 80% new
Cases produced: 2,450    (hide)