2019 “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage: The 2019 vintage started ominously in Sonoma County, with heavy rains in February. Fortunately, since the grapevines were in their winter dormancy, the rainfall did not have an impact on the crop. A relatively cool spring delayed bud break until late March and early April. With a later bud break and cool temperatures, it was expected that the harvest would start slightly later than usual. A surprise two inches of rainfall in early May, considered unseasonable for Northern California, rattled nerves around the valley. But luckily, the vineyards had not yet begun flowering due to the cool spring, so the yields were not affected. The summer brought moderate temperatures, allowing the grapes to mature slowly and without stress. By June, it was evident that a substantial crop had formed, so a proactive approach was taken in the vineyards. A thorough pass was made to drop any clusters that were lagging behind in maturity. This thinning process sacrificed quantity for flavor, enabling the vines to focus their energy on growing a more balanced, albeit smaller, crop. In August, during veraison when the grapes start to change color and soften, another round of cluster dropping took place to eliminate any uneven ripening and ensure uniform maturity. The pace of the 2019 Sonoma harvest proceeded quite ideally and under control, until late September when heat spikes posed a challenge. But the early-season precipitation had girded the resiliency of the vines, which produced grapes that displayed concentration and intensity, boasting full flavors, fresh acidity, and superb balance. It is worth noting that subsequent wildfires in October did not impact the 2019 harvest, as all the grapes had already been brought in prior to the occurrence of the fires.