2010 Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District
Clone 7 skillfully displays ideal vineyard balance, while offering a host of bright fruit flavors and silky, elegant tannins. 92 points, Wine Spectator.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of bright blackberry, ripe cherry, dark chocolate and wisps of vanilla and coffee bean. Deeply rich and structured, this wine offers a lush mid-palate and an epically long, complex finish.
Vineyard Notes
Cardiac Hill, the source for Clone 7, is one of two mountainside vineyards at Chimney Rock. Located at the northern edge of the estate, this vineyard block is named for its steep, challenging aspect. The intense sun exposure of these hills, along with the shallow, volcanic soils in this area, necessitates only the heartiest Cabernet Sauvignon clones. Our Clone 7 vines, planted in 1995 to the similarly hardy 3309 rootstock, succeed admirably, offering a muscular wine full of bright fruit flavors.
Production Notes
This was a year of extremes. Greatly below average temperatures we were on track for one of the coolest years of the decade. An extreme heat spike in late August and another in September threw us some challenges and reduced our yields. The resulting wines are fairly elegant and balanced.
| Vintage |
2010 |
| Appellation |
Stags Leap District |
| Alcohol % |
14.50% |
| Size |
750 ml |
