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Quick park-and-grab along the northern edge of a Cabernet Sauvignon block with a nice little spot for parking right next to the cache site. The road here can be very busy so please be careful, especially with children. Please replace the cache in a concealed fashion. Thanks for taking the time to go after this cache !
Cabernet Sauvignon is synonymous with the Napa Valley. According to famed winemaker Greg Fowler, “In Napa Valley, we talk about many things but Cabernet is king.” Whether it is farmed on the steep, unforgiving slopes of Diamond Mountain or grown in the famed “Rutherford Dust,” Cabernet Sauvignon has become Napa’s viticultural sweetheart. The unlikely offspring of a chance crossing in France, Cabernet Sauvignon has become the most widely planted grape varietal in the world over the last twenty years. A long-standing favorite in France, Cabernet Sauvignon was erroneously assumed to be among the great ancient grape varieties. However, genetic studies conducted by UC Davis in 1996 discovered that Cabernet Sauvignon was actually a cross between Cabernet Franc, the contributor of the black currant flavor and graphite aroma, and Sauvignon Blanc, the supplier of the grassy and herbal notes.
This vineyard, Oak Knoll Ranch, is planted with three large blocks(including the block next to the cache site) of Cabernet Sauvignon that supply a portion of the red winemaking program at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga. In the vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon is a relatively easy keeper. This vigorous, hardy varietal grows well on a wide range of soil settings and in a broad range of climatic conditions exhibited by its wide geographic footprint that includes portions of the United States, Canada, France, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Italy, Spain, and South Africa just to name a few. However, Cabernet Sauvignon grows best on gravelly, not-too-fertile soils in areas with long growing seasons and warm, dry summers. Areas like Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, the majority of the Napa Valley, the Central Coast surrounding Paso Robles, and Eastern Washington are prime examples of ideal Cabernet Sauvignon growing regions.
Unlike other thin-skinned/tight-clustered varietals(i.e. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah), the tough skins and loose dangling clusters of Cabernet Sauvignon make late seasons rain much less of a concern allowing the clusters more time on the vine to ripen. However, the greatest issue of concern surrounding Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard is the varietal’s penchant for overcropping, or setting more clusters than the vine can ripen fully. During a given growing season, a vine contains a set amount of energy which it divides up among its many internal processes: producing foliage, blooming, setting and growing clusters, and ripening clusters leading up to harvest. If too many clusters are allowed to set, the vine is forced to devote less energy to each cluster often preventing them from reaching ideal ripeness by the end of the growing season. To combat this problem, watchful vineyard managers and field staff must undertake several timely techniques throughout the year to prevent an excessive crop from reaching harvest. Aggressive pruning during the winter months and multiple pruning passes during the growing season to remove extra clusters help ensure full, even ripeness at harvest.
In the winery, Cabernet Sauvignon is all about tannins and oak. Tannin is the astringent biomolecule derived from grape seeds and skins as well as oak exposure that is responsible for the dry, mouth-pucker feeling that most wine drinkers associate with red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are naturally tannic due to their thick skins and small berries with low skin-to-pulp ratio. To further build up the tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon, winemakers may opt for extended maceration, or allowing the wine to remain in contact with the skins and seeds(and stems on occasion) long after fermentation is complete to fully extract both tannins and color. Conversely, to dial back the tannin levels, winemakers will place the wine in oak barrels to help soften the naturally harsh tannins derived from the skins and seeds by replacing a portion of those tannins with considerably softer wood tannins.
Classically, the universal descriptor most often associated with Cabernet Sauvignon is black currant. Other flavor and aromas attributed to Cabernet Sauvignon are: blackberry, black cherry, plum, cola, bell pepper, asparagus, mint, green olive, ginger, green peppercorn, pimento, anise, eucalyptus, cut grass, vanilla, coconut, musk, mushroom, earth, smoke, graphite, chocolate, coffee, and tobacco. In the bottle, Cabernet Sauvignon benefits more from aging than nearly all other varietals on Earth. Subtle nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box may develop and tannins may lose their sharpness with age. While two to seven years of age will allow most bottles of New World Cabernet Sauvignon to reach their peak, it is not unheard of for bottles from Bordeaux to age for multiple decades before reaching prime drinkability. In addition to being vinted as a single varietal wine, Cabernet Sauvignon plays a major component in blended wines worldwide as well. In France, Cabernet Sauvignon is regularly blended with any combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec in Bordeaux blends. Likewise, it is often blended with Sangiovese in Italy, Tempranillo in Spain, and Syrah worldwide.
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