Winemaker Notes
The 2002 Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, concentrated wine with aromas of red currants, black cherries and plums followed by aromatic notes of French oak, spice and black licorice. It exhibits excellent structure that is characterized by its full-bodied mouth feel, smooth tannins and lingering, silky finish. This Artist Series was bottle aged before release making it very drinkable now but it should continue to improve for at least another decade.
The Artist: Since the early Seventies, Kenjilo Nanao has been a quiet force in the San Francisco Bay Area school of abstract expressionism. Kenji first became known for his delicate, surreal, and sometimes erotic lithograph still lifes with finely graded grounds of color reminiscent of Japanese Shunga prints. In the early eighties he began to focus more attention on painting. Interestingly, the larger scale and more direct approach attending the new medium seemed to inspire an equally dramatic shift in style. This led to a re-examination of his understanding of the tenets of abstract expressionism. The result has been a joining of plastic and metaphorical imagery which Nanao calls "a state of elegant confusion", eloquently portrayed in this painting: White Waves.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.