2008 M.Étain [ Sold Out ]

HARVEST NOTES
Vineyard Manager Michael Wolf:
Winter 2008 was dry, with roughly half the normal amount of seasonal rainfall and almost no rain after the beginning of March. Valley wide, the threat of serious frost damage kept vineyard managers on their toes through the end of March and into early April. The J.J. Cohn Estate saw several nights when frost threatened the delicate spring buds, which luckily escaped damage thanks to protection systems in place. The effects of a dry winter on the vines showed in the absence of a late-spring energy surge and a somewhat erratic bloom. Summer began with unseasonably warm weather, then cooled rapidly, then warmed again quickly. Judicious cluster thinning in late July brought the vines into balance, and the second half of the growing season brought calmer weather punctuated by warm spells but generally lacking the drama of the earlier months. All of these factors combined to produce a very light crop with less than two tons per acre overall. The fruit was harvested somewhat earlier than most years, a testament to the excellent ripening season and the lighter crop load.

TASTING NOTES
Winemaker Celia Welch writes of the 2008 M. Étain:
Unmistakably from the Cohn Ranch in Rutherford, Napa Valley, this lovely Cabernet shows all the trademark nuances for which this ranch is known. Intense dark cherry, black plum and raspberry tones slowly escape from the wine surface, carrying with them nuances of of sweet baking spices (clove, nutmeg), vanilla, warm star anise, cedar, and warm mocha notes. On the palate, the texture is immediately broad and full, with a soft, heavy-satin sensation akin to melted dark chocolate. The finish echoes the fruit expression in the aromas, evoking dark fruits and a cocoa/mocha tone.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from five separate blocks of vines, all a part of the J.J. Cohn Estate in Rutherford, Napa Valley, between September 16 and October 1, 2008. Treated with the same care and respect as all of the Scarecrow lots, the fruit was harvested by hand, fermented in small vats, aged in 90% new French oak for 16 months, then bottled without fining or filtration in mid March, 2010. A total of 750 cases were produced.