Hawkes 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Winery Road Vineyard

Winemaking Notes:
The 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a few acres on Red Winery Road Vineyard’s upper slopes. At the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, this section of the vineyard is composed of mainly alluvial soils, with layers and areas of gravelly loam, shale and clay. We harvested the grapes on October 30th and pressed them at three brix. Unfined, the wine spent 22 months in air-dried American oak, about40 percent new.

Tasting Notes:
Our single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from 2003 is big, yet balanced. A later than usual harvest, coupled with two major heat spikes, provided fully-developed flavors and velvety tannins. The signature characteristics of the Alexander Valley- mint, cassis, and dusty cocoa- are highlighted by a juicy, red-fruit acidity in this age-worthy limited bottling.

Technical Notes:

Alcohol:	14%
Appellation:	Alexander Valley
Sugar at Harvest:	25.5 brix
pH:	3.58
TA:	.59