2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The Vineyards

All of the grapes were grown on our La Jota vineyard estate, located high upon a volcanic Howell Mountain plateau overlooking Napa Valley. Our unique spot, surrounded by pines, firs, oak and madrone trees, is characterized by cool-climate terroir and winds coming up the canyon. We choose a selection of our softer-textured Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard blocks to give this wine earlier approachability, while capturing full expression of La Jota's cool-climate terroir. The Merlot was chosen from a small block on the Meadow Vineyard, and the Petit Verdot was harvested from a small planting near the winery.

Winemaking

We hand-harvested the grapes into small, 30-pound boxes to prevent crushing, and then brought them to our winery for hand sorting. After destemming and light crushing, the must was cold soaked for gentle color, flavor and tannin extraction. To bridle the "mountain tannins", Chris added small amounts of oxygen into the wine with three "splashing pump-overs" a day during the primary fermentation in stainless steel tanks. In-barrel malolactic fermentation rounded the acidity and softly integrated the vanillin character of the new French oak barrels. To further enhance the wine's elegance, we racked the wine five times during its 22 months of barrel aging.

Current Tasting Notes

"The 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits rich, mountain-fruit intensity. Opulent aromas with a rich nose of cassis, nuances of wild strawberry and forest-earth. A small blend of Merlot, capped by some Petit Verdot provide broad tannins and spice. Black currant fruits, plum and blueberries give this wine a rich and full bodied flavor."