2010 Butterdragon Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5L)

The 2010 growing season gave Jim Barbour and his brilliant vineyard management team the opportunity to really earn the (rather significant) money we pay them to keep Butterdragon in world class shape. An unusually cool, foggy summer and rampant shoot and lateral growth required many passes to control mildew pressures and keep the canopy open and air circulating. However, opening the canopy, while helping with the predominantly cool temperatures, would prove to be a bit of a challenge when Napa experienced 3 day heat spikes on August 24 and September 28. It was sort of like going outside in the blazing sun without a cap on. The resultant dehydration reduced tonnage in what would otherwise have been a pretty big harvest. This unusual weather produced an unusual result for Napa: The grapes' seeds and flavors began to mature while the sugars accumulated more slowly. It usually occurs the other way, sugars first, then seeds and acids. As a result, ripeness was achieved at lower Brix which should be good news to some of you traditionalists. Harvest was October 21.