Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020

Every vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon vines at Kacaba Vineyards deliver fantastic, expressive and bold wines. The 2020 crop, however, stands out in its quality, flavors and rich tannins compared to any other vintage. A mild, long winter left minimal bud damage. Slow onset of spring, with snow and cold temperatures persisting well into April, kept vines dormant a bit longer than usual. Warm and mostly dry May and June months coincided with a slightly late bud break but a very healthy fruit set after flowering. Vigorous growth during July and August kept us busy in the vineyard, and our efforts were rewarded with a cool, dry and lasting fall. Early fruit thin in mid-August left only the best clusters to hang for the next two months, soaking up all the energy from the vines and sun, resulting in abnormally high sugars, flavors and tannins.

WINEMAKING NOTES: All three blocks of our estate Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested on the same day. The two old and established blocks delivered grapes with a high level of sugars and phenolic ripeness. The younger vines added a strong but gentle acidity. All the building blocks for a bold and luscious wine came together after careful sorting and destemming in the fermentation tanks. With pump overs performed twice daily, warm fermentation temperatures locked in the fruit and berry driven flavors while keeping tannins soft and velvety. Carefully pressed after fermentation, this wine was transferred to a combination of American and French oak barrels to further broaden the profile of this wine over the next 20 months.

TASTING NOTES: This intense and full-bodied wine leaps out of the glass with a multitude of juicy and jammy aromas imparting red plums, black currants, dark raspberries. Moroccan spice and hints of toast. A complex palate delivers more concentrated fruit, molasses and coffee, supported by rich and round tannins that linger for a long finish. A wonderful expression of an outstanding vintage!