2013 Obsidian Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

TASTING NOTES
Tightly wound and dark on the nose, its aromas of blackberry jam, black licorice and coffee begin to emerge accompanied by hints of cinnamon and vanilla extract in this 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate is soft and the tannins velvety. The wine delivers a full-bodied punch of ripe briary fruits like blueberries and blackberries baked in a buttery cinnamon pie crust. This wine will surely emerge as one of our best in a decade.

HISTORY
Obsidian Ridge Vineyard is planted at 2,640' atop the Mayacamas range north of the Napa Valley. This is one of the newest American Viticultural Areas, named Red Hills Lake County for the distinctive volcanic soils that define this remarkable mountain appellation. The vineyard’s red soils are shot through with obsidian rock — this steep, sloping terroir of obsidian gravel is all that a winemaker could hope for. The unrestricted drainage and meager soil fertility produce wines with great tannic structure.

VINTAGE
Drought 2013 was a beautiful vintage; idyllic would not be an overstatement. We enjoyed moderate conditions throughout the growing season, with few heat spikes and no rain. The warm and dry conditions of summer were perfect for supporting an evenly ripening crop on Obsidian Ridge. With cooler harvest weather, fruit came in ripe and ready at a leisurely pace from mid-September through mid-October. It was one of the easiest farming years in memory, with both high quality and reasonably high quantity.

WINEMAKING
A blend of eight blocks from the Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, the lush flavors and sweetness come from the fruit picked on the steep slopes that rise from 2,300' to 2,640'. The spicy aroma and structure comes from fruit picked later in the season from the lower blocks of the vineyard at 2,300'. A small percent of Petit Verdot was added for aromatic intensity and volume. The young wines were placed in our Kádár Hungary barrels where they aged for 21 months.

Alex Beloz, Winemaker
Michael Blaise Terrien, Founding Winemaker