2007 TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Mast Vineyards

Vineyard This vineyard was first planted in 1972 by the Mast family on their estate in the Napa Valley. It is south of the Dominus vineyard in the Yountville appellation and has sloped, hills on the west side of the valley. The soil has a lot of rock and is well drained. It is planted to Clone 337, and fortunately our specific block is in the rockiest section. Curiously, I have tracked this vineyard for two decades, noticing a unique micro-climate which develops late in the growing season. When all of the neighboring western facing, benched-vineyards find shade as the sun drops lower on the horizon, Mast finds a gap in the western hill and holds light and heat longer. Unique terroir.

Winemaking During the long growing season of 2008, we thinned all Cabernet blocks several times to bring crop into balance with the vine growth. This extra labor paid off with uniformly ripe grapes at harvest. All the Cabernets had excellent uniformity in grape quality; seeds almost tasting like walnuts, no greenness. After morning crushing, the must was presoaked till the indigenous yeast began to slowly metabolize grape sugar, signaling a beginning of fermentation. For the Mast, soaks and fermentation lasted 20 days; the juice was then racked off directly into small Taransaud and Darnajou French oak barrels. After 22 months in oak, the wine went to bottle unfiltered, unfined; that is with minimal handling or intervention.