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2008 Cabernet Sauvignon  2008 was a fun rollercoaster of a growing season. An early, dry spring brough on early budbreak, which may have led to an earlier than normail harvest. However, mother nature kept the spring temperatures and held them very mild throughout the summer. While this VERY long hangtime allowed for very intense and flavorful fruit, our dry farming techniques led to greater water stress and thus lower yields come harvest time. The loss in yield proved to be a tremendous boon in the overall quality of fruit come harvest time, elevating our typical intense flavors and color to new heights. |
To help round out the wine, we continued our traditional extended barrel aging program; not to give the wine more oak or vanilla characters, but to give the wine more time in the micro-aerative environment of the barrel to enhance tannin polymerization. For our efforts, we have been rewarded with a rich, full-bodied Cabernet, deep in color. The nose of the wine is lively with essences of dark berries, plum, dark chocolate, and toasty oak. The sweet, supple entry crescendos into a deeply intense middle; followed by a pleasant, velvety, lingering finish.
Technical Information
Varietal Percentage: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot.
Age of vines and soil type: 18-26 year old vines panted in deep volcanic soils.
Date picked: 9/7/08 -- 10/1/08.
Harvest Sugar: 26.9 degrees Brix.
Fermentation time/Temperature Range: 12 days, 67-92 F.
Fermentation container/maceration: Open fermentation in small containers, punched down twice a day.
Analysis at bottling
Alcohol: 15.4%
pH: 3.68
TA: 5.70
V.A.:.57
R.S.: Dry
Aging and bottling
Length/type of aging: 33 months in 60 gal Oak barrels: 45% new French, 55% 2-3 year old French.
Bottled: May 2011.
Approximate lifespan under proper cellar conditions: 20+ years.
Number of cases produced: 2452 cases.
Release Date: March 2012.
Winemaker: Andrew T. Schweiger.
