2021 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch
The crop was small in 2021, with yields off by almost 50%, fewer, smaller clusters and little berries -- but the unusually high skin-to-juice ratio gave us bold with a classic finish. Winemaker Diana Seysses remarks on the density of the '21 Ranch Cabernet, with aromas of crushed black cherries, brambles and plum set off by the velvet tannins and acid structure which so typical of our site. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, the wine was fermented by wild, native yeasts, aged 19 months in French oak barrels and bottled in the spring of 2023. 795 cases produced.
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Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
September 6, to September 30, 2021
Aging
19 months in French oak barrels, 50% new
Bottling Date
May 4, 2023
Residual Sugar
Fermented dry, no sugar added
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The 2021 growing season began with very little water in the soils and continued to walk a fine line, right at the edge of the rainfall required to meet the physiological needs of the vines. Spring was mild and clear, so flowering unfolded under ideal conditions. Low rain resulted in short shoot growth and little little work to do in the “passes” to remove lateral shoots and then leaves. Fortunately, there were no heat spikes or drying offshore winds -- a heat wave would have been disastrous for the crop in such a dry year. The crop was light, with small clusters and tiny berries. The reds began coming in with the Merlot on September 6; the first Cabernet Sauvignon came in on September 11. Overall, yields were 30% to 60% below average, depending on the block, but the fruit quality was superb, giving us wines intense with nerve and style.
Production Notes
9,548 bottles produced
Winemaker Notes
2021 is an exciting vintage for the Ranch cuvée. As always blended entirely from estate grown fruit, the Cabernet Sauvignon came from the Lost Orchard block at the top of the property and the Pool block at the lowest elevation on our 160 acre homestead, enhanced by Merlot from the Lost Vineyard block and a dash of Petit Verdot. The 2021 Ranch is dense and crunchy with aromas of crushed black cherries, brambles and plum. On the palate it is bright and full of red fruit, with a crisp finish. Enjoy this wine immediately and for the next 10 years.