Description

At 23+ years of age, this 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon is far from being either senile, old, or tired. In fact, it is only now entering its “full maturity” phase, leaving it with a good decade or more of reserve. 

The grapes for this batch came from “Slope 16”, a tiny (~1 acre) section of the Renaissance Vineyard, which in my view produced their finest, most nuanced, etherial expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. A south-west facing shoulder at 2200+ ft elevation, offering the perfect exposure and depth of soil for this grape to mature perfectly (here, in North Yuba, we find that our Cabernet is extremely ‘fussy’ and unforgiving about these aspects). Like elsewhere in that vineyard, the soil was decomposed volcanic rock.  

It is medium bodied, with the famed Renaissance “austere elegance”.  Unique to this specific cuvée, is its remarkable elegance and detailed, refined expression, so very unexpected in a California Cabernet

Sadly, this was the last vintage produced from Slope 16, which was ripped out the following year with the intention of replanting it with an improved vine density and vineyard design. This, unfortunately, was never to be actualized, making this bottling the only one ever produced from this vineyard site, other than a few cases experimentally produced in 1993 and 1994 (also available as Once Upon a Time vintages by special order, please inquire).