- WINEMAKER NOTES
2008 Dana Estates Hershey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, USA
2008 Dana Estates
Vintage Notes
2008 proved to be a tremendously challenging vintage, yet it ultimately produced some of the best wines of this decade. Vintage characteristics were defined primarily by the strongest La Nina spring in two decades. The dry La Nina winter and an unusually warm March led to the earliest bud break on record for many of our vineyard blocks. This seemed like a good thing until temperatures plummeted in late April and gave us the worst frost season in over 30 years. The frost, combined with some cool bloom temperatures, led to a very uneven veraison. We dropped a large amount of fruit to insure a consistent high quality, albeit with mindboggling low yields (as little as .21 tons per acre in some blocks). The pain was worth it, as the wines have a beautiful purity of fruit, along with incredible freshness from the higher than normal acidity. The impeccable balance indicates that they will age quite gracefully, yielding perhaps the most cellar worthy wines in recent years.
Harvest
Due to the frost, many vines were at different stages, some with little or no fruit. We made ten different passes through the different blocks, starting on September 22 and ending on October 15. These were 100% barrel fermented in 225 liter and 400 liter barrels. We rolled the barrels on our OXO racks, three revolutions, three times per day. Time on skins ranged from 16 to 42 days. They were drained directly to barrel; both primary and secondary fermentations were performed naturally. Of the 2.89 tons harvested, only .75 ton actually made the final cut.
Tasting Notes
Purple edges lead to a dark red interior. Bright fresh cherry, vanilla nose. Vibrant palate ofred and black fruits with tobacco, and dried desert flower. The minerality and finely grained tannin profile is reminiscent of warm dusty rock, earth and stone.
Statistics
Appellation: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Ageing: 27 months, 100% New French Oak
Barrel Coopers: Ermitage
Forests: Troncais, MT+
2008 proved to be a tremendously challenging vintage, yet it ultimately produced some of the best wines of this decade. Vintage characteristics were defined primarily by the strongest La Nina spring in two decades. The dry La Nina winter and an unusually warm March led to the earliest bud break on record for many of our vineyard blocks. This seemed like a good thing until temperatures plummeted in late April and gave us the worst frost season in over 30 years. The frost, combined with some cool bloom temperatures, led to a very uneven veraison. We dropped a large amount of fruit to insure a consistent high quality, albeit with mindboggling low yields (as little as .21 tons per acre in some blocks). The pain was worth it, as the wines have a beautiful purity of fruit, along with incredible freshness from the higher than normal acidity. The impeccable balance indicates that they will age quite gracefully, yielding perhaps the most cellar worthy wines in recent years.
Harvest
Due to the frost, many vines were at different stages, some with little or no fruit. We made ten different passes through the different blocks, starting on September 22 and ending on October 15. These were 100% barrel fermented in 225 liter and 400 liter barrels. We rolled the barrels on our OXO racks, three revolutions, three times per day. Time on skins ranged from 16 to 42 days. They were drained directly to barrel; both primary and secondary fermentations were performed naturally. Of the 2.89 tons harvested, only .75 ton actually made the final cut.
Tasting Notes
Purple edges lead to a dark red interior. Bright fresh cherry, vanilla nose. Vibrant palate ofred and black fruits with tobacco, and dried desert flower. The minerality and finely grained tannin profile is reminiscent of warm dusty rock, earth and stone.
Statistics
Appellation: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Ageing: 27 months, 100% New French Oak
Barrel Coopers: Ermitage
Forests: Troncais, MT+
Alcohol: 15.1%
Titratable Acidity: 6.2g/I
pH: 3.63
Bottling Date: January19th, 2011
Production: 28 cases