Rowland Wines

1998 RED TRIANGLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON Cabermathics = The Mathematics of Making Cabernet The important decision of this harvest was to reduce the crop size by 25%. It is really quite a simple calculation. 25% less sunshine hours lowers the vines’ ability to produce color and flavor by 25%. If no crop is dropped, it would mean a reduction in quality by 25%. Lower quality? Unacceptable! Using this formulae of “cabermathics” reduced our yield and produced possibly our biggest wine to date. Not many wineries would be able to make that statement about their 98 cabernets. But as they say, “Crises is opportunity” and I heard it knocking at my door (or was that my knees?). This has been my most challenging year to make wine and most European-like in climate. Our diligence in the vineyard paid off. What elusive sun the fruit captured was focused and stored undiluted within a small yield, preserving full color, flavor and concentration in the wine. I present to you this fine example of “cabermathics” in a bottle. Enjoy! Notes and Stats Yield: Removal of fruit at verasion resulted in a low 3 tons per acre. Vineyard Data: 25% fruit drop, 100% leafing around clusters– no shaded fruit Yeast: 40% wild yeast, 60% cultivated Rhone Valley yeast Time on Skins: 28 days Fermentation Type: 72 hour cold soak, 100% whole berry co-fermentation of varieties Cooperage: 50% new oak, 50% 1-2 year old blend of French & American oak Cepage: Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Cabernet Franc 20% Clarification: Non-fined Vineyard Location: Coombsville 65%, Atlas Peak 24%, Oak Knoll 11% Produced: 650 cases Release Date: January 1, 2001     Winemakers Notes: Aromas of cassias, with a nuances of clove and dark roasted coffee beans. On tasting, there are fresh cherry and black currant fruits, followed by a powerful mid-palate of black olives and anise. The finish has undertones of chocolate and is long and fulfilling. Back to Releases page... Also be sure to learn about...