> Gridley Family Cellars 2005 Cabernet Franc
Gridley Family Cellars 2005 Cabernet Franc
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 Saviez Vineyard’s home ranch has been growing wine grapes for over 100 years. This 2.75 acre block of Cabernet Franc was planted in 1984 with Clone 4 grafted onto type 3309 rootstock. It lies on the eastern slopes of Napa Valley one mile north of St. Helena. This western facing vineyard at the base of the Vaca Mountain Range experiences cool summer foggy mornings and then warmer afternoon sun. The north/south facing rows provide a canopy that protects the fruit from direct sun in the late afternoon.
Darker in color than our first vintage, the color of our 2005 wine surely sets the tone for the deeper and richer characteristics of this vintage. Aromatic notes of black fruits, blueberries, raspberries, toffee, dark chocolate and vanilla, with subtle layers of crushed rose petals and a light smoky richness. Juicy flavors of plums and blackberries with a long finish. The wine drinks silky and round with elegant tannins. Our 2005 vintage should continue to develop in the bottle for the next 5-10 years.
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Detailed Wine Information
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| Alcohol: | 14.1% |
| Appellation: | Napa Valley |
| Bottling Date: | April 13, 2007 |
| Harvest Date: | September 30, 2005 |
| Oak: | 100% French Oak, 30% new |
| Time In Oak: | 19 months |
| Varietal: | 100% Cabernet Franc |
| Vintage Notes: | Notes from Andy Gridley & Susan Durbrow: Cool would be a great way to describe 2005. Our normally hot August and September days were unusually cool with days in the mid 70s. Saviez Vineyard usually ripens the beginning of September; in 2005 as a result of the temperate weather harvest was three weeks later.
On Friday September 30th, 2005 we picked Saviez Vineyard. Our original plan was for six tons. Once the crew started picking though, it seemed as if they would never stop. Beneath those large Cabernet Franc leaves clusters of grapes kept popping up to add to our projected total. We tipped the scales with a grand total of 10.11 tons. The short drive to the winery had the grapes into the destemmer before noon. After a cold soak at 55 degrees for 3 days to extract color and flavors we fermented the wine in stainless steel to dryness. After a light pressing, we aged the wine in 30% new French oak barrels for 19 months. Bottling occurred on April 13, 2007.
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| Year: | 2005 |
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