Swanson Vineyards


2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley

2011 Offering
Premiere Napa Valley
Auction 15 | Lot No. 116
Vintage: 2009

Swanson Vineyards


Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley

10 cases produced

Description

Making premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, for us, as winemakers, begins with exquisite Napa Valley sites and soils, and ends with this wine, which we believe is a superb example of Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2009 vintage produced many distinct flavors and tannin profiles, as a function of appellation and terroir. This blend is a careful agglomeration of small lots from four distinctly different Napa Valley appellations: Calistoga, Rutherford, Oakville and Yountville, assembled into a unique whole. It represents many hours of work and study, of trial and rejection, and finally, acceptance that we have made the most well-crafted wine possible with the best grapes from our best blocks.


Aging Process

20 months in French oak barrels (2/3 new), 6 months in bottle

Wine Facts

  • pH: 3.78
  • Wine is unfiltered
  • Sustainably produced

Tasting Chart

bone dry very sweet
light body very full bodied
soft, gentle very crisp
no tannins heavy tannins

Chris Phelps

Winemaker, Swanson Vineyards

Winemaker, Chris Phelps

Founding winemaker, Dominus Estate, 1984-1996; Caymus Vineyards, 1996-2003; and Swanson Vineyards, 2003-present

Country born: United States

Education: Louis M. Martini, 6-month internship, 1980
BS Enology/Fermentation Science, UC Davis, 1981
Advanced enology studies, University of Bordeaux, 1981-1982
Chateau des Laurets, Puisseguin-St. Emilion, internship 1982
Mentors: Michael Martini, Jean-Claude Berrouet, Christian Moueix, Chuck Wagner

Years in the wine industry: 30+ years

Winemaking Philosophy:
My approach is minimalist, with the appropriate use of technology, a reliance upon intution, a respect of terroir, and a team approach with excellent communication between cellar and vineyard

Peter Heitz

Winemaker, Turnbull Wine Cellars

Winemaker, Peter Heitz

Fourteen generation Vigneron hailing from Alsace and forth generation Napa Valley Winemaker, Peter Heitz grew up kicking the dirt clods of Carneros on one of the pioneering vineyards in the region, later honing his vineyard background farming in the Calistoga Appellation, on dirt first planted to vines by his great grandparents in 1904. Winemaker at Turnbull Wine Cellars in Oakville since the 2007 vintage.

Farm the best grapes - make the best wine.

Country born: United States

Years in the wine industry: 30+ years

Winemaking Philosophy:
Wine should be reflective of the place and vintage, make sure you have the best of both.

Q&A With the Winemaker

Q: Premiere Napa Valley wines are innovative and allow each winery to showcase the region's sense of exploration in fine winemaking. What kind of exploration did your Premiere Napa Valley wine allow you to do?

A: Between us, at Swanson and Turnbull, we created 48 different lots of Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2009 vintage. Each appellation from which we sourced fruit -Calistoga, Rutherford, Oakville, Yountville - had surprisingly different aroma and flavor signatures. As winemakers, to be tasked with crafting a unique, single-barrel offering is a chance to really think 'outside of the box'. The Rubik's Cube array of infinite combinations for the final blend only made the work more interesting!

Bottlerock LA

1050 South Flower Street
#167
Los Angeles  CA  90015
310-393-2888

website


Premiere Napa Valley Wine Collection

Winery Vintage Variety Appellation Fanciful Auction
Bennett Lane 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga 15
PEJU 2009 Cabernet Franc Napa Valley Demeter Block 15
Round Pond Estate 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 15
Swanson Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 15
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