2006 Cain Five Spring Mountain Napa MAGNUM

(94 Points) Very attractive aromas here, suggesting that Cain Five in general needs longer for full aromatic development than its accessible textures when young might suggest. Truffle, meat jus and cream combine in the scents, while the flavour is smooth, harmonious, finely bevelled and warm, the black fruits melding seamlessly with secondary notes of bay leaf and anis (AJ) Decanter Review Date: 10/2016Top of Form

Every year, François Bugué, my Associate Winemaker, makes notes as the year unfolds. He reminds us that 2006 began with high drama. On New Year’s Eve, heavy rain fell—17 inches within 24 hours—and Langtry Road was completely cut off. Ashley Anderson, Associate Vineyard Manager, was alone at Cain.  There were only a few neighbors to take care of each other in the midst of the storm. All told, we got more than 100 inches of rain in 2005–2006.  After a wet winter and spring, it finally warmed up. Summer was cool, except for a couple of dramatic hot spells, then harvest was made under moderate conditions.

The 2006 Cain Five has the lowest alcohol we’ve had in many years: 14.1%.  Still, it is a warm, plump, plush wine.  It has a nice mouth-filling texture—not exactly silky, but “This wine talks to you.”  But, I would add, you have to listen.  It is a quiet wine.  It doesn’t say, “Take me now,” although you can.  The nose is subtle and roasted.  It speaks of a warm sun and ripe fruit—with no hint of overripe dried fruit, or “jamminess.”  The palate tells the same story with its full, plush tannins that slip right down without grabbing at the back of your throat.

Our winemaking is simple: We believe that red wine is a partial extraction of the grape.  Our goal is to get what we want and to leave the rest behind.  At Cain, this means hand picking, gentle destemming, native-yeast fermentation, and manual pressing.  The wine completes malolactic fermentation in the barrel, is blended early, is racked barrel-to-barrel, is egg-white fined, and is bottled without filtration.

ABOUT CAIN VINEYARD & WINERY Cain Vineyard & Winery overlooks St. Helena from the top of Spring Mountain in the western mountains of Napa Valley.  The estate vineyard is planted to the five classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.  We make three wines: Cain Cuvée; Cain Concept, representing the classical benchlands of the Napa Valley; and our signature blend, Cain Five. Christopher Howell, Winemaker/General Manager