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Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2017 Hundred Acre 'Wraith' Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA
Winemaker Notes
Deep garnet, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith jumps with spicy scents of cumin seed, clove oil, cinnamon stick and fenugreek, leading to a core of prunes, blueberry pie and blackcurrant cordial, with touches of iron ore and red roses. The rich, full-bodied palate layers in red fruit nuances with a structure that is wonderfully elegant and ethereal, delivering silken tannins, seamless freshness and a long-lasting firework display for a finish.
About the Producer
Proprietor and former investment banker Jayson Woodbridge bought the 3.6 hectare (9 acre) Kayli Morgan vineyard in Howell Mountain in the late 1990s, naming it for the Hundred Acre Wood from Winnie-the-Pooh. This has been joined by the Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from a 6 hectare (15 ac) property on Glass Mountain in St Helena, and the Few and Far Between cuvée from a 2 hectare (5 ac) site near the historic Eisele vineyard which features around 10-percent Cabernet Franc. The Precious is a cuvée drawn from all three properties.
The vineyard is managed carefully, in such a way that the practices are commensurate with the price of the wines. Vines are pruned to one grape cluster per vine, producing very low yields, and five passes are made at harvest time. At the winery, grapes are sorted berry by berry, and fermented in French oak, usually 500 litre puncheons. Aging time for the wines varies from vintage to vintage, but two years is not out of the ordinary. These wines frequently sell out upon release and are not easy to secure unless one is on the Hundred Acre mailing list.