Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2003

Purchase Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2003

Notes on the Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2003 : NVWE NOTES: This opulent and darkly fruity Cabernet is immediately attractive for its seamless aromatic marriage of fruity blackberry and Cassis scents to sweet-natured layers of creamy vanilla, toffee, anise and baking spices. It proves rounded and luxuriously textured on the palate, with delicious overlays of dark cherry, mulberry, mocha, toffee and vanilla. The finish lingers and the impression of soft-edged richness never falters, as the fruit easily overcomes any hint of tannic firming. Already lovely and one of the most charming examples of its vintage, it could be a memorable companion to steak with mushrooms or a fine beef roast. This bottling is also distinctive for its debut of a remarkable “corkless” glass closure system.

WINEMAKER NOTES: The wine begins with a deep ruby color. There are aromas of black fruit and mocha that meld with the lush, viscous, well-concentrated flavors of black cherry, chocolate and oak-vanilla spice. This Reserve offering is round, ripe and deliciously succulent and offers a long, silky smooth finish.

The Vintage: The 2003 growing season began with a cool, very wet spring that delayed bud break. However, the bright sunshine in May and into summer, allowed the vines to begin positive growth and development. The grape flavors increased slowly during the mild summer months and a heat spike in mid September elevated the sugars and flavor profiles. Weather was ideal in the first weeks of October allowing the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to reach full maturity.

Winemaking: The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were again harvested from the Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena and Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford at an average of 24.6ˇ brix. These grapes from the Morisoli Vineyard were picked by hand on October 13th and 14th and the fruit from the Leonardini Vineyard was harvested on October 17th and 18th. The wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 25 months.

The Closure: The 2003 Reserve Cabernet is the first wine in North Americato be distributed with a revolutionary glass closure. The Vino-Seal™ is an elegant alternative to cork which is easy to open and preserves the natural purity of the wine's flavor and aroma. The Vino-Seal™ was designed by engineers at Alcoa as an alternative to cork that was more stylish and graceful than a screw cap. The glass closure was developed in Germany and has been gaining popularity with European winemakers and consumers since its introduction in 2003.


WHITEHALL LANE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY 2003

Purchase Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2003