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Production: 1,830 cases

Composition: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 3% Petit

Verdot Vineyards: Baker, Beau Terre, Windy Flats, Holton, Hansen, Bardessono

Cooperage: 22 months in 90% new oak as follows: 20% new Hungarian (Trust), 16% new American oak (Trust, Ton O, Radoux, Canton), 54% new French Oak (Treuil, Ton O, Orion, and Remond)

Alcohol: 14.8%, TA 0.58, pH 3.79

Bottling date: August 22, 2017

Release date: Spring 2018

Our 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is carefully blended to give power and balance. To assure continuity, we use the vineyards Doug Hill controls and manages. We particularly appreciate the opportunity to use high elevations (Baker in Atlas Peak is at 1,200 ft) with their intense tannins and color, then blend and civilize them with vineyards from the valley floor and cooler areas. Windy Flats is on the western foothills in Wooden Valley, and Beau Terroir is in the Napa Carneros foothills. Beau Terre, Flat Rock, and Apallas are on the valley floor. The Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot elevate the nose and display the fruit and oak spice. Wines from 2015-2016 were big and intense because of continued low rainfall, small crops, and early bloom and veraison, but growers were lucky because reasonable temperatures (for the most part) and almost no fall rain, still allowed for nice hang time and maturity. This wine was bottled unfiltered, so natural sediment will appear on the cork and in the wine. Decanting is highly recommended. Winemaker Alison Doran's tasting notes: The 2015 vintage offers pretty aromas of black cherry and mocha followed by darker notes of chocolate and cassis. The palate has a soft entry with more mocha and black cherry with lovely dark berry fruit on the warm friendly finish. The center has some solid ripe tannin for savory structure – small crops and roller coaster temperatures give this wine intensity and attitude that it will grow into over the next several years.