95 Pts. Robert Parker. The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is one of Bo Barrett’s finest efforts. While tightly knit, 24 hours of aeration reveals its upside potential. Dense ruby/purple with a nose of crushed rocks intermixed with creme de cassis and a hint of licorice, this full-bodied, pure, deep offering will be at its peak between 2010-2025. It is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc that came in at 14.1% alcohol.

Wine maker notes

Conditions that give low yields often contribute tothe production of superb wines. The 2001 vintage is testament to this phenomenon. Frost damage early in the year followed by excessive heat during flowering set the stage for a small crop, while consistently temperate weather during the growing season yielded beautifully balanced grapes with ripe, complex flavors. An unseasonably warm March accelerated bud break just in time for a cold, wet April: prime time for frost conditions that damaged some of the new buds. During the critical flowering in May we experienced several days over 100º, causing ‘shattering’ in a few of the Cabernet blocks. Fortunately the weather during the rest of the growing season was mild with consistently moderate temperatures ensuring a long ripening period and excellent, complex flavor development. The crop’s perfect ripeness was evident in the grapes’ fully mature skin tannin, tell-tale brown seeds, and delicious fruit flavors. Waiting for each block to achieve optimal maturity before picking, we harvested Cabernet on our Estate over an unusually long 5 weeks.