Winemaker Nick Goldschmidt makes his Oakville Game Ranch in a very approachable, elegant style. Sourced from the eastern-end of Oakville Cross Rd, the soils here transition from volcanic red clay to brown, gravelly loam. They offer exceptionally good drainage which controls vigor, produce smaller berries and ultimately wines with deeper concentration. Soil water-holding capacity is sufficient enough to prevent dehydration, thus protecting the critical fruit flavor-to-alcohol balance. Goldschmidt Game Ranch shows gorgeous fruit, ripe tannins, and savory minerality.

Deep purple-ink color. Vibrant black fruit aromas. Incredibly perfumed with nuances of violets, spice and black tea. Blueberry, black currant, and black raspberry flavors come across the palate with sumptuous oak. Shows opulence, richness, and power, especially in the mid-palate. Full-bodied. Tannins are fully mature and satiny. Attractive finish with toasty wood and caramel notes. Will drink well over the next 10+ years.

Appellation: Oakville AVA
Vineyard: Game Ranch
Soils: Clay loam, sandy loam
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauv
Trellis: Vertical
Clones: 4,337
Rootstocks: 101-14, 110R
Vine Age: 13-22 years
Harvest Date: Oct 5, 2013
Yield: 3.0 tons per acre
Fermentation: 100% Native Yeast
TA: 6.6 g/Liter
pH: 3.65
Alcohol: 14.2%
Filtering: Unfined & Unfiltered
Aging: 31 months, Allier Oak,
Demptos Tight Grain, 85% New
Cellaring Potential: 15+ years

A fantastic vintage. Shows broader mid-palate weight and concentration than the previous three vintages. Tannin development was nearly perfect-fully ripe and silky smooth. Drought conditions continued throughout 2013 and the summer in Oakville was long and sunny. We picked before the mid-October rains. Yields were a little lower than 2012. As expected, the berry size was especially small from lack of rain in late May and early June and the wine shows a nicely focused intensity of flavor and bright acidity. Deep, rich, and structural best describe this vintage.