 |
 |
Appellation: |
Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District |
Varietal: |
Cabernet Sauvignon 100% |
Aged: |
22 Months in New French Oak Barrels |
Production: |
300 Cases |
|
|
Winemaker Notes |
This sound, complex wine is filled with aromas of bright fruit, cherries, chocolate and a hint of cassis. Belying its vintage with good shape and structure, this vibrant and concentrated wine is youthful and should age well. |
|
The 1998 Vintage |
After a wet winter the growing season began about a month late with heavy rain lasting into mid-June. Intermittent rain in the middle of bloom caused “shatter” in many blocks resulting in low yields. After a cool, wet June the weather warmed up in July. Despite this warm weather the grapes remained unusually late in developing and ripening – 30 to 40 days later than the previous year. Uneven ripening meant that blocks had to be picked several times to selectively pick the ripe fruit. Fortunately, the cool autumn weather of September and October allowed the remaining grapes to ripen fully and produce spectacular wine. Harvest ended the second week of November, over six weeks later than in 1997.
The 1998 vintage, in general, has been panned by some critics. They have not tasted our wine. This is a similar situation to 1975 and 1979 – two vintages which were also cool, late, and difficult, particularly for valley floor vineyards in heavy soils. While many wines were truly inferior in those vintages, grapes growing on the best vineyards were spectacular. The wine collector who thoughtfully and selectively purchased in those years is enjoying wonderful wine today. This may be true for our 1998. |
|
Spring Mountain Reserve |
| Spring Mountain Reserve is the ultimate vinicultural and
artistic expression of our Estate. Each year, certain
lots demonstrate a personality and a quality level that
immediately sets them apart from other wines. These
are the lots destined to create Spring Mountain Reserve,
a wine that will showcase a beautiful combination of concentration,
harmony, and character during its long life. |
|
Spring Mountain Vineyard |
| Originally four individual historic Napa Valley properties, Miravalle, La Perla, Alba, and Chevalier have now been combined to create an 850 acre estate of forest and vineyard on the eastern slopes of Spring Mountain overlooking the small town of Saint Helena. Over 225 acres of the estate are planted to vine, creating 135 separate hillside vineyard blocks each with its own unique soil, exposure, and microclimate. The vineyard is planted in densities of 4,000 vines per acre and trained to the ancient gobelet form, a vertical trellising method that was invented in an earlier millennium by the Romans. |
|
|
|
