The grapes were picked on September 14 following a drought influenced growing season which accelerated ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon. The results are a high concentration of flavors and aromas with mild acids defining this vintage.
The juice and berries are cold soaked for 48 hours and then inoculated with the Bordeaux yeast strain. Fermentation in our small capacity temperature controlled stainless steel tank gave optimal skin/juice ratio and better extraction of flavor and color. After pressing the young wine it was transferred to a storage tank and later put into small French and American oak barrels to age for sixteen months with 35% new French oak.

Our vineyards are assigned block numbers to identify them as they are planted. Block 007 refers to one portion of our vineyard located a mile west of the winery, on the eastern bench above Dry Creek and has caught the attention of our winemaking team because it consistently produces fruit of singular quality.

APPELLATION Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
COMPOSITION Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
BARREL AGING 16 months in 35% new French and American oak barrels
ALCOHOL 14.5%
pH 3.75
TOTAL ACIDITY .630g/100mg

Ripe blackberry and plum aromas lead to touches of oregano, pepper and smoky oak. Berry flavors combine with tobacco and dried herbs, typical of the Dry Creek Valley terroir. A long earthy finish with lasting fruit is simply elegant. Good acidity and medium tannins lead to great aging potential. Obviously this wine has no connection to a world famous British Special Agent. It's simply the name of a vineyard block…Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Of the 105 acres we have planted to vineyard, we grow a total of 28 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. We first planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the mid- 1960s. Block 007 was planted in 1992—on the Scott Henry trellis system which splits the cordon arms into a double tier with the upper arm usually bearing about 3 tons of grapes per acres while the lower arm bears about 2 tons per acre. This is for optimum ripeness. The vineyard land is well drained, right next to Canyon Creek where it is gravelly and ideal for growing Cabernet Sauvignon.