Grapecraft

2004 WineSmith Crucible

Rich blueberries typical to the cool regions surrounding the town of Napa are supported by massive but refined tannins which should gain depth for several decades.

This is “real wine” with incredibly dense, melted tannins. Its five-ton harvest is the entire focus of our winemaking consulting team during harvest. Picked at the peak of phenolic ripeness, these small berries yielded very low volumes of intensely tannic juice packed with blueberry aromas.

Clone 337 possesses unusual characteristics uniquely suited to the cool Tulucay emerging appellation. Its early ripening habit hampers its full structural expression in warmer parts of the Valley, in the long ripening period necessitated by close proximity to San Pablo Bay it expresses massive structure, profound color and intense dark fruit aromatics. We are able to apply the élevage teachings of Patrick Ducournau to utilize these building blocks to create aromatic integration on a scale seldom seen, resulting in a hollow soulfulness which captivates the spirit.

The enormous dimensions of this pure Cabernet Sauvignon enabled 34 months in élevage, including extensive microbüllage, to layer the structure and integrate its complex flavors

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