2021 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville
available
The east side of Oakville is unmatched for producing seductive, cassis-laden wines of density and richness, so it only follows that our 2021 should flaunt these characteristics.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Oakville
Bottling Date
July 2023
Alcohol %
14.0
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
An exceptional vineyard in the Oakville appellation produces intensely concentrated grapes for this wine. Planted on the southeast border of Oakville, this extremely rocky vineyard’s soil is composed of stones made round by the weathering of Rector Creek’s stream over the millennia. The poor stony soils restrict vine vigor and allow the vines to only produce small berries inherent with incredible concentration. The heat retained by these rocky soils helps ripen the clusters and lend a silky lush texture to the tannins and finish.
Production Notes
Hand harvested in the cool early morning hours, the fruit was immediately subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, including our cutting-edge optical sorter, with a goal of eliminating less-than-perfect berries. The selected fruit was gently delivered to tank via gravity by our crane system, retaining perfect, whole berries. Cold soaks lasted approximately five days, and fermentations were managed by a combination of délestage and pump overs. Extended maceration, ranging from three to four weeks, fine-tuned tannin profiles, allowing us to build structure and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 68% of which were new, for twenty-one months.
Winemaker Notes
The east side of Oakville is unmatched for producing seductive, cassis-laden wines of density and richness, so it only follows that our 2021 should flaunt these characteristics. Layers of blackberry, jammy blackcurrants, and warm summer mulberries flavors will delight the taster. Accents of cumin and smoked paprika intertwine with red and black licorice notes. There are gobs of sweet, creamy tannins that lead to a long finish with focus. - Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking