2006 Hillside Reserve, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
With a thorough understanding of the region and its winegrowers, winemaker Tony Coltrin has identified three exceptional hillside vineyards whose well-drained soils and optimum sun exposures result in small crops of intensely flavored grapes.
Vintage
Napa Valley’s 2006 grape growing season was nearly textbook, marked by consistently outstanding, high-quality, abundant crops. Bloom and set-on-the-vine occurred a few weeks later than usual because of cool and wet weather that lasted well into Spring, but by June the vines were back on track. In mid-July, a record-setting heat wave lasted about ten days, but due to the earlier delays, the damage to the grapes was nearly non-existent. In fact, most growers agree that the heat helped where they should be in a “typical” growing season. The weather returned to normal and the grapes were able to ripen in ideal conditions until harvest began in early September.
Three Elevations
Varied elevations provide three distinct sets of geographical characteristics-for three unique sets of soils and microclimates. Fruit from each vineyard reveals its own flavors and textures, giving our Oberon Hillside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon a layered expression of extraordinary Napa Valley terroir. Our vineyards in Atlas Peak (1,320 feet) add nuances of blackberry and dark cherry; the Michael Mondavi Family's Oso Vineyard (1,220 feet), at the base of Howell Mountain, contributes elegance and structure; and Suscol Vineyard (250 feet), in the southern foothills of the Vaca Mountains, imparts density, richness nad depth.
Winemaking
After gently de-stemming and crushing the fruit, winemaker Tony Coltrin fermented the free-run juice in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, stretching the post-fermentation maceration period to 28 days. This extended juice-skin contact time beautifully married the intense, dark fruit flavors and mature, supple tannins of our Hillside Reserve, giving the wine an opulent mouthfeel. Malolactic fermentation in barrel, combined with 18 months aging in French oak barrels, 66% new, further concentrated the wine’s big, ripe fruit, adding nuances of coffee and toasted vanilla to its lush, lingering finish.
Enjoy this luxurious Cabernet Sauvignon with grilled steak, rib roasts, lamb shanks and venison.
Wine Facts
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
Appellation: Napa Valley
Barrel Aging: 18 months in French oak (66% new French oak)
Alcohol: 14.4%
pH: 3.61
TA: .63 g/100 mL
Click here to download the 2006 Hillside Reserve Vintage Note