Artesa Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
| Winery: |
Artesa |
| Varietals: |
Cabernet Sauvignon
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| Vintage: |
2005 |
| Region: |
California - Napa Valley |
| Type: |
Red Wine |
| Style: |
Red - Big & Bold |
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| Past Vintage Rating History |
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| Retail: | $40.00 |
| Savings: |
50% |
| Price: |
$19.99 |
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The Wine
Wonderfully exuberant raspberry, cassis and blackberry fruit is complimented with cedar, clove, nutmeg, dark chocolate and vanillin aromas and flavors. An elegant wine with smooth supple tannins, perfect acid balance and a long lingering finsh. This wine is a treat in its youth, but the joyfullness of the fruit combined with its ample tannin structure means this wine will reach its zenith 10+ years after release.
Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
All the vineyards used in this wine are from well drained low vigor sites. Because these thin rocky sites drain away our spring rains so quickly the vines and their berries stop growing early in the season. Only the small berries produced from sites such as these can make wines intense enough to become our Reserve. The mountain top Atlas Peak and cool climate Coombsville and Carneros vineyards provide deep color and focused fruit while the Calistoga and Oakville blocks bring elegance and openly expressive fruit. All our vineyards require extensive hand work to manage correct shoot positioning, crop load and sun exposure. During harvest our winemaker spends 40% of his time inspecting and tasting our vineyards so that everything is handpicked at the peak of ripeness.
The Growing Region - Napa Valley
It's hard not to think of Napa Valley when thinking of California wines. The region is, after all, the one that brought world recognition to California wine making. The area was settled by a few choice wine families in the 1960's who bet that the wines of the area would grow and flourish. They were right. The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980's, when vineyard lands were scooped up and vines were planted throughout the area. A number of wineries emerged, from large conglomerates to small boutique to cult classics. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux Blends. Whites are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
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Notable Facts:
Within the Napa Valley lie small sub-AVAs that lend even more character specifics to the wines. Furthest south is Carneros, followed by Yountville, then Oakville & Rutherford. Above those two is St.-Helena and finally, while not yet an AVA, Calistoga. These areas are situated on the valley floor and are known for creating rich, smooth Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and Chardonnays. There are a few mountain regions as well, nestled on the sides of the above valley AVAs. Those include Howell Mountain, Stags Leap and Mount Veeder. Wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, yet also with a pronounced elegance.
About California:
It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. While it must settle for being only a state, that does not affect the high quality and diversity of its wines.
The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but watch out, because Sonoma County is catching up to its overshadowing neighbor. Down south, the Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is finding that some Rhne style grapes and even Pinot and Chardonnay are able to do well. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.
Wine Review Profile
| Rating |
83% Thumbs Up (6 users) |
| Aroma |
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| Taste |
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