The Experience
Aroma: Bright with sweet black currant jam, plum and wild berry fruit with hints of fennel and lavender. Cocoa powder, cedar, toast with hints of mineral add depth and complexity.

Palate: The mouth feel is rich and full with a luscious texture that builds to a long lingering finish.

The Vineyards
The Vine Cliff Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine crafted from our Estate Vineyards in Oakville and Calistoga. The 2004 growing season was virtually text book early on. With a warm spring and an early bud burst, the vines began their cycle with hearty vigor and steady growth. Cool and consistent summer weather allowed for even berry maturity. Temperatures began to warm in September accelerating ripening and sugar production ahead of physiological maturity so we waited patiently for flavor and tannin ripeness, before picking. Yields were low with smaller cluster size and weights. In the winery, small berries meant slightly higher tannins than usual so the vineyard blocks that historically produce firmer tannins were fermented fast and warm, for color and flavor extraction, then drained early and finished the fermentation in barrel.

The Winemaking
Gentle fruit handling, small batch fermentation and attention to detail describes the way we handle our grapes at Vine Cliff. Our grapes are hand picked and sorted before being destemmed into small stainless steel fermenters. After a 48 hour cold soak, the must was warmed and inoculated with yeast. The average maceration time was 8 days. The goal of maceration is extraction of flavors and concentration of fruit without the extraction of harsh tannins. Lees egg white fining was used, enriching the wine. Individual vineyard blocks are aged in French Chateau barrels for 13 months, until the final blend was determined. The 2004 blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petite Verdot.

Wine Facts
Harvest Dates: September 3rd ~ 29th, 2004
Growing Region: Oakville and Calistoga
Vineyard Source: Oakville Winery Estate and Calistoga Pickett Road Estate
Cases Produced: 1213 cases
Bottling Date: May 12th, 2006

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