2004 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 6, Rutherford, Napa Valley 375ml -- Bell Wine Cellars Shopping Cart
$40.00
-- 2004 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 6, Rutherford, Napa Valley 375ml
Vineyard
Vineyard Georges III is located adjacent to Caymus, off the Silverado Trail in the renowned Rutherford appellation of the Napa Valley. It was planted by Georges de Latour of Beaulieu Vineyard in 1928. Following his work identifying the differences between various Cabernet sauvignon clones, Anthony Bell spent many hours in this vineyard, introducing Clone 6 from budwood taken off BV’s block 4, where he conducted the clonal trials in 1980. Those vines are among the oldest in the Valley, and are planted in gravelly loam soils.
Vinification
The grapes are hand-harvested and gently crushed to retain 40% whole berries. Prior to yeasting with Bordeaux red yeast, we cold soaked for 72 hours, increasing the richness and intensity of the fruit character. Color extraction utilizes a combination of manual pump overs via a screen during the initial fermentation, with gentle cap irrigation as the wine goes dry. Following fermentation the wine went through malo-lactic fermentation in the presence of the skins while the wine macerated for up to three weeks. The free-run and press wines were kept separate. The wine was aged in 95% new French oak, thin stave barrels for approximately 19 months and racked every other month to naturally clarify the wine and soften the tannins. With no filtration or fining, the wine was laid down in bottle for aging prior to release
Vintage Notes
The 2004 vintage yielded fruit bearing the imprint of an early spring, a slow and steady ripening period that ended with a fast, hot finish several weeks ahead of traditional harvest timelines. Warm, consistent summer weather was bracketed by an early spring bud break, and several late summer hot spells, creating growing conditions that allowed for one of the earliest harvests in almost a decade. Overall yields were lower than expected and the resulting wines show inky color, ripe fruit flavors and great natural acidity.
Tasting Notes
Our 2004 vintage is characterized by dark ruby color, firm ripe tannins and concentrated flavors. The warm temperatures during the growing season combined with periodic hot spells allowed the grapes to achieve full maturity early, yielding dense, dark fruit character. Overtones of black cherry, currant and blackberry in combination with undertones of chocolate, coffee and pepper meld with the vanilla and cedar nuances of French oak in waves of complexity. On the palate, concentrated yet supple tannins, and crisp acidity lead to a lingering finish, and contribute to a finely balanced structure consistent with the classic Bordeaux style of our prior releases.
Technical Analysis
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, 100%, Jackson Clone
Source: Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley
Harvest Date October 1, 2004
Harvest Sugar 26.6 Brix
Harvest Acid 0.72 gm/100ml
Total Acid 0.61 gm/100ml
pH 3.84
Alcohol 14.7%
Aging 19 months in 95% French Oak, 5% American Oak
Bottle Date June 2006
Production 1,256 six-bottle cases
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