2018 Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

Vineyard: HANNA’s 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was grown on our Red Ranch in Alexander Valley. Below Hoot Owl Creek this benchland ranch is planted on Clough Series gravelly loam soil. Above Hoot Owl it planted on Laughlin Series Sandy Loam. These are soils of two-foot depth or less. The vineyard is planted to 50 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 acres of Malbec, two acres of Petit Verdot, and just over a half acre of Saint Macaire. The Cabernet is planted to clones 7, 2 and 6. The Malbec is clone 9, the Merlot is clone 3, the Petit Verdot is clone 400, and the Saint Macaire is a field selection. Vine age in our 2018 vintage ranges from eight to 28 years.

Vintage 2018: Moderate temperatures (aside from a brief heat spike in June), adequate rainfall, and no frost pressure set the stage for even maturation of early season cultivars. The temperate late summer and early fall weather, coupled with a large crop, resulted in an elongated harvest. October 1st rain provided some drama, but it dried quickly enough to be a blessing for everything but Chardonnay. Warm sunny days followed the rain, absurdly nice into early November, continuing the long even ripening of the Bordeaux varieties. We harvested the grapes for our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon between October 16, and November 6, 2018, at 25.7o degrees Brix.

Winemaking: We began by hand picking, primarily in the cool hours from midnight to sunrise. The grapes were sorted, destemmed and partially crushed to stainless steel fermentation tanks. Draining and pressing was done “to taste,” based on daily tastings of the wines during and after pumpovers. The blend was started in early 2019 and finalized in 2020.

Tasting Notes: Our 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon pours an opaque aubergine. Classic and delightfully intense cherry juice concentrate aromas are complemented by star anise, nutmeg, vanilla bean and pomegranate notes. Ensuing flavors are of Bing cherry, Danish Zoute drops and Guatemalan coffee. Texturally it is taut, vibrant with a buoyancy that glissades across the palate with only a youthful bounce of fine tannin. (Tasted 3/3/21) 

Variety

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 2% St. Macaire, 6% Petit Verdot

Vineyard Location

AV Cab blocks 33, 5, 1, 7, 14, 4, 21, Malbec block 1, St. Macaire block 32, PV block 26

Age of Vines

Up to 28 years

Alcohol

14.5%

pH

3.76

Titratable Acidity (TA)

0.56 g/100 mL

Residual Sugar

0.15%

Harvest Dates       

October 16, to November 6, 2018

Avg. Brix at Harvest

25.7o

Length/Type of Aging

19 months in barrel

Oak Types

48% New Oak, French and Hungarian Coopers: Trust, Boutes and Remond.

Bottling Date

September 3, 2020

Number of Cases

1,917

Vegan