CADE2006 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley VINEYARDS… Our first vintage of CADE Sauvignon Blanc comes from two vineyards; Tench Vineyard in Oakville and Melrose Vineyard in Rutherford. The small percentage of Semillon in the blend came from a tiny vineyard in Rutherford. HARVEST… The harvest for the Semillon occurred on September 6th. The Melrose Sauvignon Blanc was harvested on September 15th and the Tench on September 19th. The average chemistry at harvest was 23.6 brix a pH of 3.42 and a Titratable acidity of .63 g/100ml. FERMENTATION… After 48 hours of cold soaking, 28% of the juice was moved to new French oak Chateau Barrels, 33% of the juice was moved to a small stainless steel tank for fermentation, and the balance of the juice was moved to stainless steel barrels for fermentation. Fermentation took place at 52 degrees F. for 31 days. AGING… Post primary fermentation, the wines were sulfured to prevent malolactic fermentation. The stainless steel tank was racked off of its lees, but the stainless barrels and barrel fermented portion were allowed to rest on its lees and stirred twice a month until February when all three lots were married pre bottling. BOTTLING… Took place March 6th, 2007 OUR THOUGHTS… 2006 is a great year for Sauvignon Blanc. Primary aromas of lemon/lime zest are accompanied by orange blossom, cantaloupe and ripe honeydew melon. Secondary aromas of gooseberry, wet stones and vanilla beans can be found with aeration. Flavors of honeydew melon, lemon zest and apple hard candy are framed by vanilla and baked bread from the new oak. The 6% Semillon gives the mouth feel a nice roundness as well as adding flavors of ripe figs. |