Vintage
The 2003 vintage was a real roller-coaster ride. After
a warm, dry March, April was cold and wet, retarding development of
the vines and adversely affecting grape set on several varieties. The
summer months were generally cool, auguring a late season, but heat
spells in August and early September kick-started the harvest, enabling
the fruit to achieve full maturity. Because yields were down and berry
sizes were small, our sauvignon blanc grapes, harvested between August
29th and September 29th, boasted excellent flavor concentration, with
a fine balance of sugars and acids.
Vineyards
Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc is produced from grapes
grown in our estate vineyards in Rutherford, as well as from vineyards
in St. Helena and Calistoga to the north. These mid- and up-valley sites
deliver fruit of great character, enabling us to produce a crisp, full-bodied,
complex style of sauvignon blanc. For additional complexity, we blend
in small amounts of semillon and sauvignon musqué, the latter
an especially aromatic clone of the sauvignon variety.
Fermentation & Aging
To insure fresh, pure juice, the grapes were hand-harvested
in early morning, whole cluster pressed, and then cold-settled in tank
for 36 hours. The juice was then racked off the lees and inoculated
with Prise de Mousse yeast to instigate fermentation. One-quarter of
the juice was fermented in neutral French oak barrels, with the balance
fermenting in tank. Three-quarters of the wine then spent an average
of five months in barrel with periodic stirring of the yeast lees to
add richness and enhance mouth-feel, while the balance aged entirely
in stainless steel to lend the blend freshness, structure and minerality.
After blending, the wine was bottled in March 2004.
Winemaker's Notes
Our 2003 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is redolent of citrus
fruit (grapefruit, lime), melon, guava, fig, white peach, minerals,
and hay, with a faint hint of oak. In the mouth, the wine is full and
rich, but refreshingly crisp, with impressively focused citrus, melon
and peach flavors that culminate in a mineral-y, lime-zest finish. Delightful
to drink now, this classic Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc will blossom
with an additional six months' bottle age and should be a pleasure to
drink over the next 3-5 years, especially as an accompaniment to seafood
and poultry dishes.
