1998 Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes
This 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon shows why we decided to begin to hold back some of the fruit to produce our own wine beginning in 1998. The wine is beautifully polished with layers of black cherry, plum and sage flavors with and complex herb and oak notes. The long, elegant finish is firm and full of richness and complexity. The wine spent 23 months in 85% new French oak barrels and six months in the bottle before release.
The Year
Walla Walla experienced a warm growing season with a particularly hot, 15-day spell at the end of ripening, when temperatures soared to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of judicious canopy management, however, we had very few problems with dehydration, and the finished wine does not exhibit an excessive over-ripe character. It has plenty of extraction and flavor, which we enhanced by pumping over three times daily during Fermentation.
Viticulture
Entirely estate; Certified Sustainable and Salmon Safe. Founding member of VINEA.
Wine Specifics
Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyards: 100% Pepper Bridge
Awards & Accolades
“Built around a solid core of juicy currant and berry fruit, this one has layers of black pepper, nutmeg, cedar and dusky herb flavors swirling through the solid finish. Drink now through 2002.”
-HS, Wine Spectator, 90 points
“Ruby-red. Sappy aromas of plum, tobacco, nutmeg and currant leaf. Fat, dense and ripe, with a hint of crystallized fruits. Quite silky and elegant; seems a bit sweeter and deeper than the 1999 Merlot from this winery. Finishes with sweet, even tannins and lovely subtle persistence.”
-Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
