Vintage
The 2001 vintage in northern California was a climatic
roller coaster ride. A warm March led to early bud break, followed by
April frosts that significantly reduced the crop in some north coast
regions. May and June were warm, but the weather turned cool again in
July and August, slowing the ripening process and allowing the grapes
to achieve full physiological development without dehydration. Ideal
weather in early fall brought the season to fruition with a harvest
of small-berried Cabernet Sauvignon grapes blessed with intense, balanced
fruit flavors.
Vineyards
The grapes for our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which
is blended with 16% Merlot,
4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec, come from more than a dozen vineyards
stretching from the cool Carneros district in the south to the warm
Calistoga region at the northern end of the valley, with the majority
from the mid-valley Rutherford appellation. Blending fruit from multiple
clones and microclimates enables us to craft a complex Cabernet Sauvignon
melding the bright cherry fruit characteristic of Napa's cooler regions
with the intense black-fruit flavors and firm tannins typical of the
valley's warmer climes. The grapes for the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon were
harvested between September 18th and October 15th, 2001.
Winemaking
After being crushed and cold-soaked for 24-36 hours, each
vineyard lot was fermented separately. Warm fermentations in temperature-controlled
stainless steel tanks, to fully extract color and flavor, were completed
in 7 days, with an extended maceration of 21 days to maximize extraction
and enhance the wine's structure. The free run juice was then drained
and transferred to French oak barrels, 65% new. After blending in spring
2002, the wine aged an additional 14 months in barrel before bottling
in August 2003.
Tasting Notes
The product of a superb red wine vintage in Napa Valley,
Cakebread Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderfully rich, ripe
wine with a nearly opaque ruby color and a seductive aroma of ripe,
lavish black cherry and currant fruit enhanced by cedar and toasty,
vanilla oak tones. On the palate, the wine's lush berry and cassis flavors
are impressively broad and deep with supple, seamlessly integrated tannins
and a lusciously rich finish. Delicious to drink now, this marvelous
red will continue developing for another 5-7 years in bottle.
