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The 2013 Branding Iron Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers mixed berry aromas accented by an element of char. On the palate, juicy raspberry and blackberry flavors mingle with green olive, rhubarb and toasted oak. Moderate tannins, enhanced by the ripe fruit of this lively wine, inspire sip after sip.
Perkins soil series from Branding Iron Vineyard
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Oakville, Napa Valley
1998
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon clone 7 on the 3309C rootstock
8 acres
Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)
This vineyard is planted on a large alluvial fan that extends from the Mayacamas Mountains, across the Branding Iron Vineyard, into Harris Vineyard, and reaches all the way to the western edge of the Rock Cairn Vineyard. The vineyard is composed of well-drained clay loam from the Perkins soil series that is formed from alluvial fans depositing eroded igneous rock.
Named for the branding iron owned by the proprietor, the eight-and-a-half acre Branding Iron Vineyard lies in western Oakville, close to the base of the Mayacamas Mountains. The vineyard is comprised of well-drained clay loam and the vines are vertically trellised to maximize sunlight and open the canopy. The area’s warm climate and sun exposure in both the morning and afternoon are perfect for slowly ripening the fruit, which often benefits from a long hang time.
October 1- 11, 2013
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
11 – 14 days
17 months in French oak
September 2015
2000
Similar to 2012, warm days and cool, foggy nights prevailed, offering the perfect conditions for fruit and tannin maturity. The season began about 10 days ahead of last year and the vines looked well balanced going into the summer. The vineyard only needed a small crop adjustment in August, then warm summer temperatures ripened the fruit. The younger block developed flavors early, so we harvested in early October, allowing the older block to hang another 10 days for tannin development.