Vintage
In 2003, a warm early spring gave way to cool, wet weather
in April, which set back vine development. Seasonally temperate weather
prevailed from May through July, but a cool pattern returned in August,
delaying ripening. By early September, warm, sunny days and clear, cool
nights were again the norm, and hot weather during the latter half of
September sent us scurrying to harvest earlier-ripening varieties. October,
however, brought classic autumn weather, with crisp mornings, warm afternoons
and cool evenings, extending the harvest by several weeks and enabling
us to pick our Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at moderate sugar levels. Red
wines from the topsy-turvy 2003 harvest are rich and deeply colored,
with excellent concentration and balance.
Vineyards
The grapes for our 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,
which was blended with 11% Merlot, 0.7% Cabernet Franc and 0.3% Malbec,
come from more than a dozen vineyards stretching from the cool Carneros
district in the southern valley to the warm Calistoga region at its
northern end. Blending fruit from multiple clones and microclimates
allows us to produce a complex Cabernet Sauvignon melding the bright
fruit characteristic of Napa's cooler districts with the lush black
fruit and firm tannins typical of the valley's warmer climes. The grapes
for our 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between October 2nd and
29th at optimal ripeness.
Winemaking
After crushing and cold-soaking the fruit for 24-36 hours,
the juice from 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 approximately seven days,
but we kept the wines macerating on their skins for an additional three
weeks to maximize color and flavor extraction and enhance the wine's
tannic structure. The free run wine from each lot was then drained and
transferred to French oak barrels, 55% new, for aging. During this period,
winemaker Julianne Laks tasted each lot regularly to assess its aroma
and flavor development, texture, and oak character. In spring, 2004,
the lots chosen for our Napa Valley bottling were blended, and subsequently
aged an additional 14 months in barrel before bottling in July, 2005.
Tasting Notes
Cakebread Cellars 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts enticing
aromas of ripe black fruits and dark chocolate, with lush, concentrated,
blackberry, black cherry and black fig flavors. A supple structure of
fine tannins is well-integrated with the wine's ripe fruit and fresh
acidity, leading to a finish full of rich dark chocolate and blackberry
flavors. Delicious to drink now, this classic Napa Valley Cabernet should
develop beautifully in bottle for another 5-7 years.
