92 Points
Intense and full-blown, rich and concentrated, with a rustic, earthy edge to the dried currant, sage and underbrush notes. The depth and dimension of the flavors are cloaked in chewy tannins, requiring time to unfold. Best from 2010 through 2016.
Wine Spectator - August 5, 2009
With intense layers of dark fruit, bittersweet chocolate, black licorice, clove spice, mineral and cedar, this is one of Napa Valley’s most voluptuous Cabernet Sauvignons. The palate is rich and complex, packed with sweet black cherry, plum and blackberry character that tones down the muscular entry. Malted cocoa powder tannins (classic Rutherford Dust) frame the expansive flavors, enhancing the wine’s plush, opulent texture. The elegant, fruit-imbued finish lingers with espresso, toffee and nutmeg. Pair this wine with rich, robust meals, like seared beef tenderloin with shiitake mushroom sauce.
We gently destemmed the night-cooled clusters, retaining 50 percent whole berries for a three- to five-day cold-soak period. Fermentation and extended maceration, totaling three to four weeks of skin contact, developed deep terroir and varietal expression in the young wine. After 19 months of barrel aging, this beautifully balanced wine was bottled without fining.
ABOUT THE VINEYARDS
Winemaker Tom Rinaldi has said, “The hair stood up on the back of my neck when I first walked the Hewitt Vineyard.” He immediately desired the honor of making wines from its fruit. This 60-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard has a celebrated history that began with its first planting in 1880. William Hewitt bought the vineyard in 1962 and, in 1992, enlisted the assistance of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff to replant the vineyard to the finest Cabernet Sauvignon clones. The vineyard lies on the Rutherford Bench, against the Mayacamas Mountains, where the gravely clay loam soils allow excellent drainage and deep rooting for the development of complex flavors.
ABOUT THE VINTAGE
The long and rewarding 2006 harvest is considered one of the best of the decade. The ideal vine balance (leaf-to-fruit ratio) promoted slow, even fruit ripening and a relaxed harvest. Berry size was smaller than average in Rutherford, leading to intense, highly structured wines. Even in the early stages of development, this Cabernet Sauvignon shows amazing depth, flavor concentration and velvety tannins. Its excellent structure and balance promise great potential for long bottle aging.
