Flora Springs St. Rutherford Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

This is our first vintage of our St. Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard surrounding the winery is unique with many exposures and soil types. Interestingly, it forms the northern boundary of the Rutherford Appellation and the Southern Boundary of the St. Helena Appellation. This wine is produced from grapes from both sides of the "border!" We harvest our grapes by hand and carefully sort out any leaves or grapes that do not meet our high standards. After destemming and crushing the grapes, the fruit is fermented in stainless steel containers, which allow us to heat or chill the juice to obtain optimum temperatures. After aging for approximately two years in French oak barrels, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration. The 1996 has generous fruit and an approachability that is unusual in a young Cabernet. It combines the dusty, chocolatey character of Rutherford with the deep berry characteristics of St. Helena.