World renowned. Washington grown.
2003 Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon
100 Top Values of the Year - Wine & Spirits
Tasting Notes
“This fruit forward, minimally oaked Cabernet Sauvignon offers slight cherry and blueberry aromas and flavors throughout. The balance of fruit and soft oak provides a lingering finish with hints of cocoa.” -Ray Einberger, Winemaker
Growing Season
- Vintage 2003 began with a typical bud break in early April.
- Bloom followed in early June. Warm, dry weather conditions during this phase (the start of fruit maturation) contributed to the uniformity of berry maturation at the end of the season.
- High heat accumulation during late summer created excellent ripening conditions.
- Very modest precipitation in August and September cooled the vineyards and slowed the ripening process.
- At harvest, vineyards across the Columbia Valley had excellent physiological maturity and flavor development across varietals.
Vineyards
- Columbia Valley vineyards are seated east of the Cascade Mountain range. Up to 14,000 feet high, the mountains effectively block eastward-moving wet weather systems from the Pacific Ocean.
- Just 6 to 8 inches of rainfall reach the growing region annually. Vineyards are 100% drip irrigation.
- The soils have low fertility and low water-holding capacity, allowing precise control of vine growth patterns.
- Vines are planted north to south on south and southeast facing slopes.
Vinification
- Grapes were destemmed, crushed, and inoculated to begin the 6-day fermentation.
- Twice-daily pumpovers during fermentation extracted color and flavors.
- This lightly oaked wine aged 12-14 months.
Technical Data
- Total acidity: 0.658 g/100ml
- pH: 3.66
- Alcohol: 13.5%