Technical info
Alcohol
15.1%
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaking
Crafted to add a touch of elegance to your Lunar New Year festivities, we're thrilled to introduce our exclusive Year of the Dragon Cuvée. Early on, a drought year was anticipated. 2021 started sunny with low humidity, high heat, and high winds presenting as soon as the beginning of May. However, periods of rain refreshed the vineyards in the early summer, with mild temperatures rounding out the end of a low-yield season without any of the significant climate and weather issues seen in some of the previous seasons.
Vineyards
Howell Mountain is a growing area with well-drained, white tufa volcanic soils. In 1984, Howell Mountain was the first area within the Napa Valley appellation to be declared a separate viticultural area (AVA) for the distinct characteristics of its wine grapes. For the Year of the Dragon Cabernet Sauvignon, selected clusters of grapes with small berries whose high skin-to-pulp ratio results in well-structured wines with concentrated flavors that are enhanced by the climate. Howell Mountain vineyards typically run 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the valley floor but still experiences more hours of sunshine over the course of a day as they extend above the fog line. This allows for both extended hang time and slow, even flavor development.
