VINEYARD:  Cabernet Sauvignon and other hearty red varietals thrive in the rocky loam soil of Stone Farm Vineyard; as the vines expend most of their energy to yearn deep into the ground for water the vigor of the vine is held at bay.  The warm Glen Ellen location allows our Cabernet Sauvignon to grow to full maturity while maintaining a desirable low yield.
 
VINIFICATION: This wine underwent a 20-day maceration on skins to build body and mouthfeel.  The wine
was then aged in French and American oak for 18 months before being bottled in June 2003.  Alcohol 14.7%, pH 3.80, Total Acidity .58, Residual sugar .03%.  347 cases produced.

VINTAGE: 2001 may be remembered as a comeback vintage. After cool and late vintages from ‘98 through
‘00 we welcomed a warmer, earlier harvest. The growing season began with a late frost that damaged
grapes in locations where frost usually isn’t a concern. Few vineyards were affected but in those few cases, damage was severe. Once over that hurdle the growing season was much improved, bloom saw nearly
perfect conditions for fruit set and we had a long, warm summer. Like so many harvests, 2001 had its ups
and downs - a heat spike in late August and early September drove sugar levels ahead of flavor development and all varieties were looking like they would ripen at once. On September 9th things cooled down through the end of the month which allowed flavors to develop in red varieties and gave time to harvest early reds. On the 1st and 2nd of October the heat came back to push the late reds over the hump. The last lots of grapes were crushed by mid-October to mark the earliest finish since 1997 and with similar quality. Across the board the 2001 vintage produced rich ripe wines with great intensity and structure.