2000 R.V.s Fine Claret

The Wine

This wine is our only blend, made from four of our estate vineyards: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon (23% each from George's, Lone Oak, and Valley View vineyards) and 30% Cabernet Franc, all aged in French Oak for 22 months and blended during the second year.

Awards

Silver -2005 Tasters Guild, San Diego, and West Coast International wine competitions; 2005 Santa Cruz County Fair;
Bronze - 2005 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition

Fermentation and Aging

The grapes were picked by hand, destemmed, and fermented in small lots with hand punch down four times a day. After pressing, the wine went through malolactic fermentation and 22 months of barrel aging. The final blend was made in the second year of aging. 347 cases were bottled in August 2002.

The Vintage

The general characteristics of the 2000 growing season were an early spring and moderately cool summer. This, coupled with average rain fall of 29 inches, gave an ideal growing season of traditional yields and high quality fruit. A September heat wave assured that all the fruit ripened and was harvested in small lots with good sugar and acid balance before the fall rains.