WINE =======: 2000 Chateau  Souverain Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Date: 2005-01-22
Varietal    : 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc
Score       : 87
Country     : USA
State       : Calif
Region      : Alexander Valley of the Russian River Valley

Notes
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This was a pretty dark garnet color, almost opaque. The nose
is of purple fruits--black currants, plum, black cherry, and
blackberry, plus chocolate and a hint of asphalt. The wine
is quite dry, with a good dose of tannins (but not
excessive) and decent fruit. Generally, this is a pretty
darned decent Cab.

Production Notes
----------------
The 2000 vintage had a rainy start with constant rain
throughout February. A dry March was followed by cold, wet
April showers and a late spring that yielded full grape
clusters at the initial growth. Summer turned hot early with
heat spikes past the century mark in June, but mid summer
was back on track with cool mornings and evenings that
helped the vines after the early heat wave. October turned
cold and foggy and actually produced a few days of rain.
Harvest was late but fast with most Cabernet Sauvignon fruit
coming into the winery prior to the October rains. 

The primary grape source for this vintage came from Chateau
Souverain's estate vineyards in the Alexander Valley. These
benchland vineyards are located along an inland expanse of
the Russian River, which channels early evening breezes to
cool the valley's warm afternoons, thereby allowing the
grapes to ripen and retain their balanced acidity. The
additional vineyard sources for this Cabernet are located on
the valley's hillsides, which consist of gravelly soils that
stress the vines late in their growing season, resulting in
grapes of rich color and varietal character.

Winemaker Ed Killian keeps each vineyard lot of the Cabernet
Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc separate, gently pressing
each lot for desired color and flavor extraction. The wine
is then racked and aged in American and French oak (53% new)
for a total 23 months before blending and bottling.
Output generated by La Wine Club - http://LaWineClub.com/
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