Vintage
In 2002, Napa Valley enjoyed a long, mild growing season
of consistently warm days and cool nights, with just a few manageable
heat spikes in late September and early October. With an expectation
of healthy yields, many growers significantly thinned their crops and
pruned shoots and leaves extensively to guarantee the vines put all
their energy into ripening the remaining grape clusters, ensuring highly
concentrated, complex fruit flavors. Cakebread Cellars further maximized
grape quality by using advanced soil moisture management techniques
to precisely calibrate the amount of water required by the vines at
critical junctures throughout the season.
Vineyards
The grapes for our 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,
blended with 11% Merlot and
2% Cabernet Franc, 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,
crisp fruit characteristic of Napa's cooler regions with the lush, black-fruit
flavors and firm tannins typical of the valley's warmer climes. The
grapes for the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between September
21st and October 14th, 2002.
Winemaking
After being crushed and cold-soaked for 24-36 hours, each
vineyard lot was fermented separately in temperature-controlled stainless
steel tanks, at warm temperatures, to fully extract color and flavor.
The fermentations completed in seven days, with an extended maceration
of 21 additional days to maximize extraction and enhance the wine's
structure. The free run juice of each lot was then drained and transferred
to French oak barrels, 65% new, for aging. During this period, each
lot was tasted regularly to assess its aroma and flavor development,
varietal character, ripeness and richness levels, and oak character.
In spring, 2003, the chosen lots were blended and aged an additional
14 months in barrel before bottling in July 2004.
Tasting Notes
Cakebread Cellars 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts an enticing
aroma of ripe black cherry, berry and currant fruit complemented by
scents of vanilla, sweet herbs, cocoa, and coffee bean. On the palate,
the wine's lush, deep, mouth-filling berry and cassis flavors carry
a hint of tea-leaf spiciness and are seamlessly balanced by firm, supple
tannins, leading to a lusciously long, rich, oak-enhanced finish. Delicious
to drink now, this classic Napa Valley Cabernet will continue to develop
for another 5-7 years in bottle.
