Kinsella Estates Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Kinsella Estates is an organically-farmed vineyard situated in a private valley in the foothills of the western edge of Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Elevated 500 feet above the Russian River, the valley enjoys a warm climate that virtually never sees winter frost (the hills even harbor occasional citrus trees!). The East-West running valley is planted with 12 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines on the steep eastern hillsides composed of loamy, metamorphic soil. The valley drains a large watershed where a winter stream rapidly fills up Spencer Lake, which provides irrigation water in summer. The Kinsella Estates vineyard is composed of three blocs: The Heirloom Vineyard -- a steep-sloping, two acre, 17-year-old parcel, wedged in between an arroyo and a knoll of Spanish oaks -- the six acre Jersey Boys Vineyard, and the four acre roadside Spencer Vineyard. The arroyo that runs between Jersey Boys and Spencer vineyards feeds the lake. In the summer of 2008, the latter two blocs were ripped out and replanted with four different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, handpicked by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Two thirds of an acre of Wente clone Zinfandel also was planted, as well as eight rows of Petit Verdot. All Kinsella Estates wines are produced from organically grown grapes -- grown without pesticides or herbicides.