2005 Seven Hills Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Our goal with this vineyard-designate program is to showcase the uniqueness of each of our vineyards. I like to describe Seven Hills as the feminine side of our wines: finesse and elegance with a long and persistent finish. This polished and
complex wine has a pretty perfume of blackberry liquor, dusty red berries, earth and pencil lead. On the palate, the wine is supple with a lush texture and fine depth. We aged this wine for 18 months in 59% new French oak barrels.
The Year
The 2005 vintage started off as a big challenge because the previous year has been a freeze year with very little fruit to harvest. I was somewhat anxious and worried about how the vines would come back. We spent extra effort pruning, shoot thinning and crop thinning to make sure the fruit came back evenly. Mother Nature provided us with a classic wine-growing season. Bud break started around the third week in April, and very warm, sunny days filled the summer. We had plenty of heat units to fully ripen the grapes. Then the weather cooled off a
little earlier than usual, dropping into the 80s around the end of August. This cooling-down period maximized flavor development. The wines from the 2005 vintage have terrific fruit intensity, show great natural acidity and are beautifully balanced.
Viticulture
Entirely estate; Certified Sustainable and Salmon Safe. Founding member of VINEA.
Wine Specifics
Varietals: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot
Vineyards: 100% Seven Hills Vineyard
Awards & Accolades
“A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (61 percent) and Merlot, this is a classic Seven Hills Vineyard red, showing that vineyard’s high-toned, elegant fruit with remarkable complexity. It leads with red plum and earthy spice; hints of pipe tobacco and cedar join in with air. The flavors balance dark cherry notes with savory, gripping, mineral tannin. The structure provides uncanny tension and layering; the wine feels substantial, but it never oversteps.”
— Wine & Spirits, 95 points
