Rowland Wines

1999 RED TRIANGLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON Too Hot to Touch! Fresh Baked Blackberry Pie! This is the image that I have when I smell this wine: hot out of the oven, the pie crust has just cracked, pie filling oozes out and an infusion of intense blackberry has filled the air. This heady aroma is accompanied by fresh roasted coffee beans… French roast, I think … and a melange of brown spicy clove and nutmeg come to mind. The intriguing array of blackberry fruits and fresh spices is a result of the cool nights and warm days during ripening in 1999. This type of slow-ripening season gives the grapes extra time to hang on the vine, which produces more depth and character. The "hang time", coupled with a yield that was down by 33%, increased this wine's complexity and concentrated the layers of that fantastic blackberry flavor. Notes and Stats Yield: Abnormal fertility at flowering caused a low 2.75 tons per acre Vineyard Data: Vertical trellis with leafing around clusters for extra color & flavor Yeast: 40% wild yeast, 60% cultivated Rhone Valley yeast Time on Skins: 28 days Fermentation Type: 48 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 79%, Cabernet Franc 21% Clarification: Lightly fined Vineyard Location: Coombsville 50%, Oak Knoll 26%, Atlas Peak 24% Produced: 600 cases Release Date: January 1, 2002     Winemakers Notes: An intense blackberry nose followed by a floral delight of violets is enriched by subtle nuances of Jamaican allspice and freshly roasted French coffee. On tasting, there is a strong mid-palate that is built of plump, spicy, black olives with anise-laced flesh. Vibrant black currant and cherry add layers upon the soft, mouth-filling, velvety tannins. Back to Releases page... Also be sure to learn about...