Winemaker Notes
The Ame bottling of Cabernet comes from a plot that we call the Knoll Vineyard. Dave Abreu's farming company planted it in 1998. At over 1,200 feet in elevation, it's the highest parcel on the ranch. It's also the rockiest; it took two years to clear out enough rocks for us to move in with the necessary farming equipment. We used budwood from the Thorevilos Vineyard, a property in Napa Valley managed by Dave. The budwood is believed to have originated at Ch. Margaux in Bordeaux. As the vines reach 15 years of age, they are entering the ‘sweet period' of their lives -- a period thought by many to be the time when the fruit produces its best wine. The rows are planted east to west, so they follow the arc of the sun during the day. This helps the small, dark colored clusters ripen evenly. As we picked during the 2011 harvest, the aroma of the fruit was overpowering. So it is in the finished wine.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.