2017 Titus Cabernet Sauvignon Family Estate Reserve Napa

Winery Tasting Notes: Our 2017 Titus Family Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon comes from our Ehlers Lane Vineyard and exhibits the characteristic concentration and quality of the property.  Growing on a rock knoll in volcanic soils the wine is deep with crushed blueberries, berry compote, violets and glove leather aromas that greet you as you swirl the glass.  The body is viscous and opulent with inky color that sustains blueberry, huckleberry, cigar box, and purple flowers.  Mouth coating through the finish the wine leaves you with impressions of crème de cassis, warm cocoa and pot de creme.  Enjoy from 2032-2037.

Vineyard: Our Ehlers Lane vineyard lies to the north of the winery estate, on the northern boundry of the St. Helena AVA.  The volcanic slope and rocky stream bed soils yields small Cabernet Sauvignon berries and concentrated fruit which forms    the core of this wine. Multiple picking passes from Ehlers Lane are fermented individually and are evaluated throughout elevage.

Vintage: Despite record rainfalls during the Winter the rain stopped early and budbreak began on time with a full water table and sunny skies through the majority of April. May and June brought even weather with good recovery periods after typical heat spells. This lead to even flowering and fruit set with a balanced crop hanging on the vines.  After veraison the region was hit with hotter than normal,  late-season temperature suring Labor Day Weekend. Judicious fruit dropping after the heat lead to a smaller than average crop that ripened evenly and quickly. Our Reserve Cabernet program shows impressive concentration resulting from these growing conditions.

Winemaking: The Cabernet for the 2017 Titus Family Reserve was harvested on September 26th and October 5th and 7th, 2017. After the fruit was received at the winery it was destemmed directly to tank where it was fermented for 14 days. After fermentation the free run wine was drained from the tank and racked to barrel. This wine was aged  in 100% new French Oak barrles for 22 months during which a barrel selection of our favorites produces the blend for this wine. The wines where racked quarterly for the first year.

Vineyard Manager: Eric Titus

Winemaker: Stephen Cruzan

Appellation: Napa Valley

Harvest Date: Sept 26, Oct 5 & 7, 2017

Bottled: June 12, 2019      

Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec Cases

Barrel Aging: 100% New French Oak

 Alcohol: 14.9%   

Acidity: 6.1 g/L pH: 3.77