Notes on the Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 : NVWE NOTES: This is a darkly ripe and aromatically complex Cabernet, with rich aromas of Mulberries, chocolate-covered cherries, toffee and vanilla, over plush forest-floor scents and hints of tobacconist-shop spice. It proves every bit as rich on the palate, with elegant, polished flavors, dominated by dark cherry, mocha, Mulberry, baking spices and vanilla. The finish is long and sweet-natured all the way, with wonderfully polished tannins and a sense of juiciness right to the end. Certainly capable of two to three read more...years of cellaring improvement, it is so delicious right now that waiting seems quite unnecessary.WINEMAKER NOTES: Balance and finesse are prominent in this classic Cabernet. From the enticing aromas to the long, smooth finish, this wine is captivating and delicious. It's a blend of lush fruit with aromas of deep blackberry, currant and toasted oak. The wine has rich texture and flavors of cherry, plum and toasty vanilla. With ample fruit, good weight in the mid-palate and velvety tannins, this beautifully balanced wine is ready to enjoy now, but with aging potential to 2014.The Vintage 2005 was an outstanding growing year that began with cool, wet weather, followed by mild summer months. With ample moisture in the soil and warm days, the fruit ripened slowly and evenly. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were harvested from late September through much of October as the flavors in each vineyard block ripened to perfection. The yields in general were a little higher than normal giving the winemaking team lots of great fruit to work with. Winemaking The grapes were grown in vineyards located in St. Helena, Rutherford, Calistoga, Yountville and Oak Knoll. The fruit was fermented at an average of 85-degrees F with gentle pump-overs for excellent flavor and color extraction. The wine was aged in a combination of American and French oak barrels for 19 months and blended to attain balance. Merlot increased texture and softness on the mid-palate and Malbec added complexity and additional layers of ripe fruit flavors to the wine. WHITEHALL LANE RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY 2005 (hide)