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Dana Estates - Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard 2011

Price: $465.99

Quantity in Stock: 2
 Grown Organically 
WS
90
WA
97
WC
93
JS
97
V
93
Producer Dana Estates
Country United States
Region California
Subregion Napa County
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage 2011
Sku 12881
Size 750ml

Dana Estates Description

The 2011 vintage began with a wet spring, followed by an unseasonable cool and wet June. This gave an extra push to canopies and boosted berry size. As organic farmers we worked diligently in the vineyards to increase cover crop competition to dry soil profiles. We also made extra leaf thinning passes to ensure balanced light infiltration into the fruiting zone to maximize flavor development. Heat events were minimal with only one day in July where temperatures breached 100 degrees. The rest of the vintage was cool and moderate. The wines of this vintage challenged us as winemakers and organic grape growers, but our hard work has paid off. The wines are showing complexity and depth with a broader range of flavors.

While Hershey vineyard typically receives more rain than Lotus and Helms, this harvest was the exception. We received just 1.5” in comparison to 3.5” on the valley floor. These rains were in early October which allowed us plenty of time to dry out before our November 2nd pick date. This long hang time with perfect fall days and adequate soil moisture brought concentration without excessive ripeness. We picked both our SEE clone and clone 191 in one day. The SEE clone was fermented in a French oak upright and the clone 191 in barrel. Both were native fermentations with native malolactic in barrel.

The nose abounds with black berry, dark red cherry, dry earth and dusty warm stones. Nice weight in the mid palate builds through layers of fruit, candied cherry, warm caramel and espresso. The Howell Mountain tannin profile is pronounced, yet well integrated and precise. This expression of Hershey should age effortlessly for 13-18 years and reward those who can hold on for longer.

Appellation: Howell Mountain, Napa Valley

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Ageing: 19 months in 100% New French Oak

Barrel Coopers: Ermitage, Demptos, Baron, Taransaud

James Suckling: 97 Points

Amazing aromas of blackberries, blueberries, mushrooms and violets. Full body with a dense, precise palate and a firm, intense finish. Masculine but formed and polished. This needs at least four or five years to come even more together. 

Wine Advocate: 97 Points

The fruit for the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard was picked on November 2, and it is certainly one of the stars of the vintage, reflecting the success Howell Mountain enjoyed in this vintage. It possesses excellent ripeness along with mulberry, blueberry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with hints of wet rock and graphite. Ripe, lush and medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin, this beauty, because of the precociousness and forward character of the 2011s, is best consumed over the next 10-12 years.

Stephen Tanzer: 93 Points

Red-ruby color, the darkest of these 2011s. Dark berries, coffee and licorice on the nose, with a sexy animal character adding interest. Less sweet than the Lotus but with noteworthy finesse of texture to the flavors of blue fruits, menthol and dark spices. Very pure and laid-back today, finishing with sneaky length. The tannins seem much more successfully integrated with the wine's fruit than they appeared to be in barrel a year ago. Winemaker Cameron Vawter noted that the 2011s were racked only after the malolactic fermentations and again for the blending.

Vinous: 93 Points

Graphite, crushed rocks, smoke, melted road tar, black fruit and incense explode from the glass in the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard. A huge, structured wine, the 2011 boasts stunning depth, power and richness. The intense salinity of the vintage and the trademark Dana intensity of fruit meld together in a Cabernet of true distinction. What a gorgeous wine this is. This is the first vintage to incorporate more than the original first acre of plantings. The first vintages were pure clone 1 Cabernet, while subsequent vintages include See clone fruit as well. The 2011 was fermented in barrel and spent 21 months in oak, 100% new. 

Wine Spectator: 90 Points

All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale.

 

 

All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages, ratings and product packaging (images) are subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability are subject to change.
Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale.

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