VHR Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Vintage
VHR 2018 In the wake of the challenging 2017 growing season, punctuated by heat spikes and a post-harvest wildfire that threatened the ranch, we were pleased to see 2018 return to the idyllic growing conditions more typical of the Napa Valley. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon of tremendous depth and complexity from Vine Hill Ranch. Often compared with the exemplary 2016 growing season, the 2018 vintage is certain to be regarded as one of the finest in the history of the Napa Valley.
With roughly half of the average annual rainfall, low soil moisture and temperate growing conditions led to balanced canopy growth and crop set, ideal for the ripening of an impressive winegrape crop. Mild temperatures in August and September allowed for extended maturation in the vineyard. We selectively harvested fruit from blocks 1, 3, 4, and 6 to produce a wine of exceptional site expression, nuance, and character.
Our 2018 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is structured and powerful, conveying cocoa, ripe blackberry, black cherry jam, and plum with aromatic spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, and candied ginger on the nose. Its expansive and lush mouthfeel is framed by a seamless bond of fine-grain tannins, dark ripe fruit, and vibrant acidity. Beautiful and wonderfully complex, this VHR vintage is deep and opulent, harmoniously showcasing the attributes of the individual vineyard blocks—a balanced, persistent, and textural wine, distinctive to our family’s vineyard in Oakville.
An abundant 2018 harvest began on September 25, with portions of our benchland Block 3 yielding 3.6 tons per acre. Our hillside blocks 1 and 6 yielded 4.8 and 3.8 tons respectively, while our benchland Block 4 delivered 4.6 tons per acre to complete our harvest on October 12.
