Winemaker Notes
The 2006 Vintage marks the 32nd release of Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon from Kenwood Vineyards. The 2006 growing season began with a wet and cool spring, followed by a warm and dry summer. In late September and early October, the weather cooled and we harvested the Cabernet Sauvignon that produced this year's Artist Series blend. After picking, the grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks and then settled and racked twice before going down to barrels in December of 2006. After 28 months of barrel aging, the very best lots were carefully selected, blended and bottled. After bottling, the wine was aged for an additional year and a half before it was released.
Each year since the 1975 vintage, our winemakers taste individual barrels of our finest lots of Cabernet Sauvignon at the end of aging and select only the best to become part of the Artist Series blend. The result is a true "reserve" wine that represents less than 2 percent of our Cabernet Sauvignon production.
Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot
About the Artist, Sylvia Ji
Born in 1982, a native of San Francisco, Sylvia Ji's artistic ability is akin to another time and place. Her work encapsulates an alluring beauty that is both cutting edge and a nod to a time-honored technique. Hauntingly beautiful images brimming with provocation mix with a sense of consternation, hinting that all is not as well as it may initially appear.
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.