GOTT Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Varietal

92% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Malbec
2% Petit Verdot

Appellation

Napa Valley

Barrel

95% New French oak
5% 1-Year-Old French oak

We selected the fruit for this wine from Sugarloaf Vineyard in Napa and Crocker-Talcott Vineyard in St. Helena. Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Sugarloaf Vineyard’s hillsides in Napa brings power, weight and well-structured tannins to the wine. The Cabernet grapes at St. Helena’s Crocker-Talcott Vineyard adds soft, red fruit character, while Petit Verdot from Crocker-Talcott lends spicy undertones, a rich mouthfeel and complexity to the blend. A small amount of Malbec is blended to add power, structure and well-balanced acidity.

Across California in 2015, bud break came early, preceding a cool spring and moderate summer. Late summer heat waves created one of the shortest growing seasons to date, prompting us to pick our fruit earlier than usual. Optical sorting was done to ensure only the best berries go through to the fermentation process. Harvest wrapped up by the
end of September, delivering Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with rich, ripe flavor, tannins and structure.

Following harvest, we co-fermented the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with Malbec to ensure ideal color stabilization and soften the Cabernet Sauvignon’s powerful tannins. The wine was aged for 22 months, with 95% in new French oak and 5% in one-year-old French oak