2017
Hamel family ranch
This single-vineyard expression is from the 120-acre property that contains the winery, cave and the Estate house. It lies at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Sonoma Valley. The warmest site across our estate vineyards, its eponymous Cabernet Sauvignon blends supple tannins with incisive minerality to deliver a wine with classic and powerful poise.
Profile
With a deep, clear ruby tone in the glass, the wine presents an alluring nose of plum and cassis enveloped by scents of cedar, flint, bergamot rind and spice. It’s wonderfully rich and textured on the entry with great fruit intensity that escalates through the palate. Supple in contour, the wine captures pure ripe red and dark fruits that sustain through to a structured, elegant finish. The wine shows a generosity that can be accessible in youth, but will certainly reward those who cellar over the next five to ten years.
Vintage Notes and Technical Details
2017 began with a very wet winter and spring. From November 2016 through May 2017, we received sixty inches of rainfall, approximately twice the precipitation of a normal year. Bud break started at the end of March, and the spring’s rains allowed for healthy canopy growth. The vines thrived in early June with the switch to warmer, drier conditions. This set the stage for uniform flowering, ensuring a good fruit set. The weather progressed to a pattern of frequent heat spikes through July, August and into Labor Day. It was the hottest summer we have recorded. Still, we were able to farm twenty percent of our vineyards without irrigation. Harvest began in late August, with the core occurring in late September and early October. 2017 will be defined by lush, bright fruit with ripe tannins and ample acidity. We were fortunate to harvest prior to the wildfires that began October 8th.
- Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc
- Production: 608 Cases
- Appellation: Sonoma Valley
- Vineyard: 100% Hamel Family Ranch
- Fermentation: 57% Concrete Tanks, 29% French Oak Tanks, 14% Stainless Steel Tanks
- Aging: 20 Months, 30% New French Oak Barrels
- Bottling Date: June 19, 2019
- Harvest Dates: September 15 – September 27, 2017
- Alcohol: 14.5%
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