Trefethen HaLo 2009
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Connoisseurs'
Guide
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The wine is complex with multilayers of cloves, chocolate, juicy plum and raspberry that all ride on a bright peppery, gamey base. Energetic and beautifully balanced, decanting will bring out the best in this delicious wine.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
It is apparent from the very first sniff that there is something very special going on here, and all of the richness and beauty of this impeccably crafted wine's deep and wonderfully refined, incisively varietal aromas is reiterated in compelling and complex flavors that follow. Full and expressive but extraordinarily nuanced with a finish that seems to go on forever, this benchmark bottling is the stuff of which Cabernet dreams are made. As good as it is now, it is not near to reaching its best, and those who somehow can find the patience to wait will find new fascinations for a great many years to come.
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Connoisseurs'
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A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.