2016 Josephine Red Wine

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This wine is dark ruby/garnet in color. The aroma has a foundation of black fruit and dark cherry, with dark chocolate, black pepper, chai tea, coffee and expresso spices adding to the complexity. The wine is supple, with an expression of Malbec, fennel and black licorice. The flavor is balanced with dark cherry notes, and a bright crispness with fairly resolved tannins, yielding a long flavorful finish.
Van Z – St. Helena (38.6%) North east and a stone’s throw from down town St. Helena, this cabernet sauvignon is planted on a very gravelly clay loam soil. Warm and very well drained soil, the vineyard ripens relatively early, producing very small berries that impart rich dark black fruit flavors coupled with very dark color.
Freemark Abbey Vineyard – St. Helena AVA (28.4%) Adjacent to the stone cellar of Freemark Abbey and on the property where Josephine originally grew her vines in 1886, Merlot, Malbec and Cab Franc are planted on a very gravelly clay loam. With this well drained soil, in the St. Helena appellation, this vineyard ripens relatively early, imparting rich dark black fruit flavors coupled with very dark color.
Ahern Vineyard – St. Helena AVA (21.0%) Just north of Freemark Abbey Winery is the Ahern Vineyard, this 3.8 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon is located on the crest of Tychson Hill. Still owned by the estate of Abbey Ahern that started the winery post prohibition, this Cabernet is known for low crop, which produces very small berries that yield a distinctive dark cherry and eucalyptus aroma. The north side of the vineyard is bordered by eucalyptus trees, which add interesting notes to the soil.
JFW Oakville Vineyard Oakville AVA – (8.0%) Located at the southern end of the Oakville AVA, east side of Hwy 29 and just north of Yountville, the vineyard soil is gravelly alluvial loam, similar to the To Kalon vineyard on the west side of the Hwy. The climate is moderately
warm in the afternoons, and strongly affected by the night and early morning fog, which helps to keep acidity levels in balance.
Herrick 2 Yountville AVA – (4.0%) located in the heart of the Yountville Appellation, west of the Napa River. The soil is alluvial rich clay loam, producing grapes with typical varietal character flavors of dark plum, cherry and arugula.
The winter continued a dry weather pattern and bud break was early. The growing season was moderate, near ideal, and on an early pace. Most varieties were harvested in September with a final wrap up on October 10th…getting it all in before any rains developed.
Vintage
Vineyard
Ahern Vineyard, St. Helena AVA
Freemark Abbey Vineyard, St. Helena AVA
Herrick II
Oakville Vineyard
VanZ
Varietal
Composition
67.6% Cabernet Sauvignon
24.7% Merlot
4.2% Malbec
3.5% Cab Franc
pH
Alcohol
Harvest Date
Barrel Aging
Barrels: Aged for 27.6 months in 59 gallon French oak barrels.
Approx. 66% new French oak
2016 Josephine Red Wine
This wine is dark ruby/garnet in color. The aroma has a foundation of black fruit and dark cherry, with dark chocolate, black pepper, chai tea, coffee and expresso spices adding to the complexity. The wine is supple, with an expression of Malbec, fennel and black licorice. The flavor is balanced with dark cherry notes, and a bright crispness with fairly resolved tannins, yielding a long flavorful finish.
Van Z – St. Helena (38.6%) North east and a stone’s throw from down town St. Helena, this cabernet sauvignon is planted on a very gravelly clay loam soil. Warm and very well drained soil, the vineyard ripens relatively early, producing very small berries that impart rich dark black fruit flavors coupled with very dark color.
Freemark Abbey Vineyard – St. Helena AVA (28.4%) Adjacent to the stone cellar of Freemark Abbey and on the property where Josephine originally grew her vines in 1886, Merlot, Malbec and Cab Franc are planted on a very gravelly clay loam. With this well drained soil, in the St. Helena appellation, this vineyard ripens relatively early, imparting rich dark black fruit flavors coupled with very dark color.
Ahern Vineyard – St. Helena AVA (21.0%) Just north of Freemark Abbey Winery is the Ahern Vineyard, this 3.8 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon is located on the crest of Tychson Hill. Still owned by the estate of Abbey Ahern that started the winery post prohibition, this Cabernet is known for low crop, which produces very small berries that yield a distinctive dark cherry and eucalyptus aroma. The north side of the vineyard is bordered by eucalyptus trees, which add interesting notes to the soil.
JFW Oakville Vineyard Oakville AVA – (8.0%) Located at the southern end of the Oakville AVA, east side of Hwy 29 and just north of Yountville, the vineyard soil is gravelly alluvial loam, similar to the To Kalon vineyard on the west side of the Hwy. The climate is moderately
warm in the afternoons, and strongly affected by the night and early morning fog, which helps to keep acidity levels in balance.
Herrick 2 Yountville AVA – (4.0%) located in the heart of the Yountville Appellation, west of the Napa River. The soil is alluvial rich clay loam, producing grapes with typical varietal character flavors of dark plum, cherry and arugula.
The winter continued a dry weather pattern and bud break was early. The growing season was moderate, near ideal, and on an early pace. Most varieties were harvested in September with a final wrap up on October 10th…getting it all in before any rains developed.
Vintage
Vineyard
Ahern Vineyard, St. Helena AVA
Freemark Abbey Vineyard, St. Helena AVA
Herrick II
Oakville Vineyard
VanZ
Varietal
Composition
67.6% Cabernet Sauvignon
24.7% Merlot
4.2% Malbec
3.5% Cab Franc
pH
Alcohol
Harvest Date
Barrel Aging
Barrels: Aged for 27.6 months in 59 gallon French oak barrels.
Approx. 66% new French oak
