2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Appellation/Vineyards

Somerston wines are selected from single blocks of our 1615 acre estate, high in the eastern hills of Napa Valley. This estate bottled wine was sourced from two of our best vineyard blocks:  Queensbury Block 30 and Oriental Block 23, both hillside vineyards with an average elevation of 1,250 ft asl.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and then delivered to the winery. The grapes were de-stemmed and sorted, then pumped into the tank for an 8-day cold soak at 55 degrees. When the fermentation began, we pumped over the tank twice per day. The native yeast fermentation lasted for 16 days, followed by a short heated extended maceration of 3 days. The free run was drained from the tank overnight. The wine was barreled down into 70% new French oak and 30% once used French oak barrels.  Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in the barrel. The wine was aged for 28 months and bottled unfiltered. 

Tasting Notes

The 2012 Somerston Cabernet Sauvignon is our fifth release.  Each vintage seems to top the previous one. This wine is intended to be a collector’s wine that showcases the potential of the property.  The aromas are bright and explosive and continue to develop in the glass. On the palate, the wine is rich and full bodied, full of fruit and hints of oak spice. The wine is exceptionally balanced and has excellent structure, supported with bright acidity.  The tannins are present but refined.  The finish is lingering and very enjoyable!  This wine will mature over the next 25 years.