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Notes from the Winemaker:

Vintage:    2006
Appellation:    Napa Valley
Composition:    81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot
Release Date:    Saturday, February 5, 2011

Vintage Description
The 2006 New Year rang in to the sound of flood waters raging throughout Napa County. The early season was marked by rains that extended well into April. The weather became dry and warm by late spring and bloom conditions were ideal. The early summer will be remembered for a searing 10-day heat wave in July, but August and September were mild, which, coupled with normal yields, led to a slow prolonged ripening. We began harvest on September 20th and finished picking on October 23rd.

Blending and Aging
Our 2006 Napa Valley, a blend of wine from vineyards throughout the appellation, is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. We blended the vineyard lots in early 2007 and transferred the wine to 100% new American oak barrels for aging. Blending prior to barreling allows us to achieve a balance of the wine’s primary elements, such as fruit and tannin, before they are influenced by oak. The wine was then aged in barrel for approximately 25 months and another 20 months in bottle to harmonize its components before release.

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