Winemaker Notes
The IX Estate Vineyard is a 20-acre site carved out of a magnificent 125 acre parcel that varies in slope from gentle to steep, with elevations ranging from 1150-1350 feet above sea level. Located high above Lake Hennesy in the eastern hills overlooking Oakville and embraced by a most agreeable climate, IX Estate is nestled in hillsides of rocky volcanic soils.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Another perfect wine, which has turned out even better than I anticipated seven years ago, is the estate wine, the 2002 IX Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot from the hillsides above the winery (one of the most gorgeous vineyards I’ve ever seen in the world). Yields were a frightening one-half ton per acre. Like all of Colgin’s 2002s, as this wine sat in the glass it seemed to change and improve every 20 seconds or so. Gorgeous black/plum/purple in color, much like the Tychson Hill, it offers up a completely different set of aromatics, ranging from Asian soy to damp forest floor to hints of mountain laurel, lavender, roasted meats, a touch of pepper, and wonderfully sweet blackberry and cassis fruit. Some charcoal and subtle barbecue smoke are also present in this extraordinary statement, which has also evolved at a relatively rapid pace. It seems fully mature by most standards yet should hold at this plateau for at least a decade. What is remarkable about all of these wines is that they were aged in 100% new French oak, but the oak has gone into total hiding.
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Wine Spectator
An awesome young wine. Pure, rich and delicious, with a wealth of concentrated currant, blackberry and pomegranate flavors that are tightly wound and focused. The beam of fruit is impeccably structured, and the layers of flavor unfold gracefully. Expands on the finish, returning to core fruit flavors and adding a nice dash of mocha and cedar.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.