2006 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains

Reviews:
93pts Steve Tanzer's International Wine Celler
93+pts Robert Parker Jr's The Wine Advocate Issue #187 February 2010

Notes at release:
  
Back in the 1950s and 60s our founder, Martin Ray, would always bottle his Cabernet with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. His was a philosophy bent on telling the world that pure(a.k.a. all Cabernet Sauvignon) was the best. While I admit that with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay this is true, currently I prefer to blend the Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Why?  Because of the harmony and grace that results. Yes, one sacrifices the intense power of Cabernet, yet the whole experience is fuller when it is sculpted through the use of judicious blending. The Bordelaise learned this centuries ago.
   
2006 opened up with tremendous promise. A frigid winter, full of snow and abundant rainfall are things we mountain winemakers look for. Bud break was late and the all important fruit set was rapid and complete.  As predicted, harvest was late in October with cool autumnal temperatures, allowing us to harvest with exactitude.

Youthful aromas, with primary cassis, leather, and blackberry notes, this wine offers full, buoyant flavors of red raspberry, plum and cassis. Since it is moderately structured, it should improve until 2012 and hold for decades thereafter.    

Total Production: 2,632 cases