2018 J. Davies Estate "Jamie" Cabernet Sauvignon DIAMOND MOUNTAIN Napa

The Davies family, proprietors of Schramsberg and Davies Vineyards in Napa Valley, presents the seventh vintage of the J. Davies Estate Jamie, the finest Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from its historic Diamond Mountain vineyard property. Bearing her signature, this wine is named in honor of Schramsbergs matriarch, the late Jamie Davies. Along with her husband Jack, she revived the Schramsberg property in 1965 with an inspired vision of crafting world-class American sparkling wines. Five decades later a second generation of the Davies family, led by son Hugh and his wife Monique, have taken on the additional challenge of producing extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon from vines grown on the familys hillside property. They are proud to release the J. Davies Estate Jamie Cabernet Sauvignon, representing the pinnacle of an endeavor that spans 57 years.

The vineyard blocks, totaling 46 acres, are laid out in four isolated pockets ranging from 500 to 1000 feet in elevation. They include the two Schram sections, Napa Valleys first hillside vineyards, originally established in 1862 by Jacob Schram, the McEachran parcel, first planted by Colin McEachran in 1878, and the Claes parcel, dating back to 1984. These are the southernmost vineyards in the Diamond Mountain District AVA. Flanked by two cool creek canyons (Nash Creek to the north and Ritchie Creek to the south) and surrounded by compact coniferous and deciduous forests, the vines here produce late-ripening, richly concentrated fruit with average yields of just two tons per acre.

The long growing season in 2018 revealed a vintage with structure and concentration without being overripe. Despite a warm February, the growing season started off cooler than the past few vintages. A cool spring meant bloom lasted longer than usual, which resulted in a bountiful crop. Summer temperatures were moderate with fewer heat spikes than in recent years. Veraison started later as well, and as a result, harvest started two to three weeks later than average. The result was fruit exhibiting firm tannins, with outstanding color and brightness.

TASTING NOTES: his deep ruby colored Cabernet opens with captivating aromas of dark fruit, including boysenberry and plum, accentuated with notes of cinnamon toast, dark chocolate, violet and tobacco. Integrated tannins anchor the wines bright entry of dense dark cherry and blackberry, combined with crushed herbs and baking spice. A juicy mid-palate is supported by a balance structure and is followed by a long finish.  - Winemakers Csilla Kato, Sean Thompson and Hugh Davies