Cenay Releases

1998 BLUE TOOTH CABERNET SAUVIGNON It is better to have fruited and dropped than never have fruited at all! The continuity of fruit character from Blue Tooth Vineyard was our key focal point for an out-of-character year. Although the initial yield was thinned to our goal of 3.5 ton per acre, we made a choice based on experience to reduce the yield even further. We needed to compensate for the unusually low sunshine hours received due to the fog, a.k.a. Pea Soup, which most days did not lift until noon. The strategy for 1998 was simple: to manage the vines so that a crop was grown in balance with the climate of that year. Besides reducing crop, we also worked at exposing 100% of the fruit to the sun by plucking off all of the leaves within, above and below the cluster. We also made countless passes through the vineyard removing unwanted, fruitless shoots that could shade the crop. In a year like ‘98, our attention to detail enabled us to produce a full-bodied, vineyard designate wine under adverse conditions that continues to expresses the unique attributes of its location. Notes and Stats Yield: Fruit removal at set and verasion resulted in a low 2.75 tons per acre Vineyard Data: 30% fruit drop, 100% leafing around the clusters for color and flavor Yeast: 40% Wild yeast, 60% cultivated Rhone Valley yeast. Time on Skins: 28 days on skins, 100% co-fermentation of varieties Fermentation Type: 72 hr cold soak, 100% Whole berry Cooperage: 50% New oak, 50%% 1-2 year old blend of French oak Cepage: Cabernet Sauvignion 87%, Merlot 13% Clarification: Non-fined Vineyard Location: 100% Blue Tooth Vineyard, Oak Knoll Appellation Production: 800 cases Release Date: January 1, 2001     Winemakers Notes: A rich bouquet of ripe blueberry and cherries, with undertones of cedar and cigar box. This firm and full, elegant wine tastes of bright fruits, supple tannins and spicce, with a deep ruby color. Back to Releases page... Also be sure to learn about...