Fall 2010

What a difference a year makes.  We went from a year where the vineyard took care of itself in 2007 to spending way more time walking the vines than patrolling the winery in 2008.  The combination of heat, lack of water and a small crop made for the same challenging conditions we saw in 2004.  We didn’t see much rain after the end of February and these clear conditions produced as many as 30 frost events during March and April.  Vineyards lost anywhere from 5 to 50 percent of their fruit before flowering, but this small crop ultimately suited the lack of rainfall.  Canopy management was minimized to avoid exposing what was left to too much heat.  The areas that were frost affected were thinned as much as necessary post-veraison to insure the remaining crop was nice and even as we headed to harvest.  Once this was accomplished we bided our time and watched as the heat took hold the second half of August.  We did one more thinning pass pre-harvest to eliminate any sun damaged fruit.  The Cabernet harvest began for us on September 9^th and concluded October 2^nd with yields averaging a paltry 2 tons/acre.

Now for the good news:  the 2008 is better than the 2007.   The concentration levels are similar but the complexity of the 2008 is just much broader.  This trait turns out to be the reward for all the extra work we put toward this vintage.  We found it to be true across all varietals and AVAs.  For all the serious wine drinkers out there and especially for the daily drinkers (that would be us) looking for something that stands out, there’s more intellectual interest to this wine.  Some of this is a result of the vineyard blend.  There were component parts in 2008 that stood out as single vineyard candidates but the blend of everything was ultimately better.  2008 was especially strong in the mountains and this wine is 70% hillside, to be more specific 55% Oakville range, 30% St. Helena and 15% Howell Mountain.  Here’s a brief tasting note:

2008 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 14.5% alc., 50% new oak

The 2008 Rivers-Marie Cab is, in its early stages, driven by texture. Less opaque in the glass than the '07, the '08 begins with aromas of fully ripe raspberry and blueberry and is followed shortly with notes of sandalwood and pencil shavings. With air, the red-blue fruit notes dominate the nose. On the palate, the wine possesses a weighty entry and is already generous and expansive. This broadness is what we’ve come to like so much about the vintage.  The mid-palate tannin sweetness is the real payoff before a textured finish of cocoa and graphite. Ultimately, this wine is really about the typicity of Cabernet.

~ Looking Ahead ~

We’ve been saying this now for a couple years but finally I can say with 100% certainty there will be a vineyard designate program starting with 2009.  Barrels from our Oakville range and St. Helena sites will be bottled separately in June 2011.  The lineup will also include our usual Napa Valley blend.  Prices for the SVDs will be $75 a bottle while the Napa will remain at $55.  We are very excited by the progress of our Cabernet program and the fruit sources we’ve honed in on.  Our goal is to make the wines stronger each year helping to insure we always over deliver relative to what we charge.

~ Offer and Shipping Details ~

On the shipping front, once again we offer free ground for the Cabernet release.  If you’d like 2 day air please inquire.  We’ve also registered in New Hampshire so you’ll find that key shipping state listed for the first time.  Wines will begin going out to cooler climates in early November with warmer states following as weather allows. The offer will remain active through September 10^th. Please email magnum requests to natgunter@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm regards,

Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh