Winemaker Notes
The 2003 vintage Affinity is powerful, intense, and expressive of its Napa Valley foothills origins. Great depth and complexity are hallmarks of this Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon blend, presenting concentrated fruit, a silky texture, and full tannin structure for long-term aging.
Aroma: Full, ripe black cherry, blackberry and currant bouquet, with black tea and a hint of spice. Offers the promise of deep fruit and further complexity.
Flavors: Forward, abundant cherry, leading into deep black fruit and cassis that sets the stage for tremendous depth as the flavors develop in the glass.
Finish: Opens up on the finish with classic, longlived Napa Valley black fruit, tea and cocoa.
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.