Highlands Winery

Wine Philosophy: Highlands wines confirm that quality wine making starts in the vineyard. Every vintage presents unique opportunities to explore and express the best the fruit and terroir has to offer. To maximize vintage opportunities Highlands focuses on small lot production using inspired and uncompromised winemaking techniques. Bottling wines of intelligent and privileged character demonstrates our commitment to excellence. We at Highlands appreciate your participation in our discriminating enological experience of hand crafted wines.

 

Food Parings: This influential wine has structure and character that stands apart. This California style Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with beef roasts, steak, pate, duck, goose, spicy poultry dark meat, sausage. Strong cheeses like cheddar and blue cheese are a delight with this wine.

 

Vintage Notes: 2006: The growing season started nearly 3 weeks late but favorable temperatures through April and May produced rapid vine development with flowering only marginally late. Pollination “shatter” from the late May rain had limited impact. The mild summer was interrupted by a July record setting 10-day heat wave. The winter soaked soils produced an abundant leaf canopy that helped to protect the grapes from heat wave sunburn. Fortunately only limited crop damage required thinning. Harvest started a couple of weeks late with dry moderate temperatures favoring gradual and even ripening. Rain in the first week of October delayed harvest but was followed by beneficial hang time in mild and dry temperatures bringing sugars and acids in good balance. Fortuitous timings and clusters of small berries has allowed Highlands to produce exception wines from the dramatic 2006 vintage.The first day of 2006 brought floods to the Napa Valley and was followed by a long wet winter, modest rains during flowering, a summer with a record setting heat wave, and early rains at harvest.

 

Winemaker Notes: The power of this wine came from the select vineyard blocks matched to a unique vintage. This is a wine that took advantage of a warmer fermentation and French oak aging.

Tasting Notes:  A wine with a luxuriant Cabernet nose and a high flavor impact speaks to the mouth of plums, blackberries and black currants, smooth and balanced and superior oak characters.  A satisfying finish gladdens a special occasion or dining experience.

 

Cellaring: Enjoy the wine now or put it down to be pleasured over the decades ahead.