Navarro Vineyards - 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Mendocino

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Global uncertainty

We think global warming is a misnomer. Global uncertainty seems more accurate. Regardless, Anderson Valley is consistently too chilly to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon. For this reason Navarro's Cab is grown in the Russian River watershed near Talmage south of Ukiah. Although most winegrowing regions are getting warmer, some may actually be cooling. Our friend Zack Robinson at Husch has been analyzing Ukiah temperature records from the last fifty years and asserts that Ukiah's daytime highs have dropped. The viticultural climate of Mendocino's warmest parts is now similar to Calistoga in the Napa Valley making Ukiah a promising choice for growing Cab. Eaglepoint Vineyards lies 1,175 feet above the valley floor where daytime temperatures are cooler and nighttime temperatures are warmer. The site is perfect because Cab ripens at the very end of the season when the weather is likely to be cold. Hillside vineyards typically produce small berries so the ratio of skins to juice is high resulting in wines rich in color, flavor and tannin. The cooler weather also promotes higher acidity and we've learned that the wines are shy about revealing their stuff when young. Most years at Eaglepoint the ripening grapes are racing against impending winter weather. Note that the leaves are beginning to yellow indicating the end of the ripening season. Grower and winemaker alike tend to have frayed nerves when harvesting this late.		Time has deposited some sediment on the neck of the bottle indicating the wine has been stored cork-down in a still cellar for years. The deposit is a combination of tartrates and polyphenols, natural grape byproducts which contain antioxidants. They won't hurt you and some claim wine polyphenols may have health benefits. It's almost five years after harvest; the wine spent two years in the barrel and then three more years resting in bottle in our cellars. It tastes delicious right now but this intense beauty will continue to unfold for at least another ten years. Gold Medal winner. Best of Class. 6 bottle limit. "92. An extremely impressive Cabernet, marked by a rich texture, plenty of tannin to ensure longevity, and wonderfully nuanced and expressive flavors - fruit to be sure, but also secondary notes reminiscent of cocoa, leather, spice and more. Like all Navarro wines, it is available only by mail order or at the winery. This one's so good, though, that you might want to make the trip." -Paul Lukacs June 5, 2007 winereviewonline.com.

Specifications
Harvested:	Oct. 13 to 22, 2003	Sugars at harvest:	25.2° Brix
Bottled:	Aug. 19, 2005	Cases produced:	1088
Alcohol:	13.9%	Titratable acidity:	6.8 g/L
pH:	3.62

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Pure varietal nose, mouth-watering acid carries blue/black fruit through a lo-o-ng finish Bruce Schoenfeld, Critic's Challenge 2012, Spring 2012.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

92 Points - An extremely impressive Cabernet, marked by a rich texture, plenty of tannin to ensure longevity, and wonderfully nuanced and expressive flavors - fruit to be sure, but also secondary notes reminiscent of cocoa, leather, spice and more. Like all Navarro wines, it is available only by mail order or at the winery. This one's so good, though, that you might want to make the trip.. - Paul Lukacs, winereviewonline.com, June 5, 2007.

1997 Cabernet Sauvignon

I don’t think of Navarro as a Cabernet house, but go figure. In fact, go find this wine if you want a credible alternative to “down there,” as they say in these parts. Dry, delicious and in a league of its own for California Cabernet, and clearly poised to get better. - Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, May 2002.

1994 Cabernet Sauvignon

A silky smooth and elegant wine with focused black-cherry and lean blackberry fruit. The finish is medium with bright echoes of the opening fruit and just enough spice to keep it interesting. - Wine Enthusiast, May 10, 2000.

A bit candied and tight, this wine seems to have some tannins up front, and an unusually sweet, strawberry finish in the back. With some air, it knits together decently, but the wine lacks the depth and weight to be a really interesting. Not bad, but call it a routine, middle of the road cab, with some eccentric twists and turns. Needs another year or so of cellaring. - Mark Squire's E-Zine on Wine, February 2000.

Rustic, featuring earthy red currant and herb flavors. Tannins are firm and dry on the finish. Shows good concentrations; will need some time to show its best. Best from 2001 through 2005. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, October 15, 1999.

The Cabernet is intense, but supple and soft enough to suggest it will age into a fine wine. - Norm Roby, Robywine.com, September 6, 1999.

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