Vintage
The 2005 growing season got off to a slower, later start with a cool spring and late rains stretching into June. The long summer brought moderate heat that stretched into October. The sizable crop showed higher numbers of berries per cluster, and slightly lower sugar levels. Due to the mild weather and large crop, harvest was later – by about two weeks – and gradual, with picking stretching out over several weeks. The lengthy 2005 growing season gifted these elegant wines with lively aromatics and a beautiful balance of concentration and texture.
Vineyard
Our family vineyard is located on 40 acres of Napa Valley floor just north of St. Helena on the Silverado Trail. It has well-drained, sandy, alluvial soils and is characterized by its ability to produce complex wines with well-defined fruit flavors, gentle acids and naturally balanced tannins. The vines benefit from their very even east-west exposure resulting in even ripening each year.
Vinification
The grapes were harvested in late October where they were promptly de-stemmed but not crushed, allowing increased control over tannin extraction by minimizing the possibility of broken skins and split seeds. After a 48-hour cold soak to extract color and flavor, the grapes were fermented for 10 days, with pump-overs occurring twice daily. The free-run was transferred to new and two-year-old French oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation, then barrel aging for 18 months.
Wine Profile
Vintage after vintage our Cabernet Franc is consistently smooth and velvety, pairing equally well with food or conversation. Our 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc is aromatically engaging, with impressive structure and balance. Heady aromas of fresh blueberry, spiced currant, crushed fresh herbs, violet, linden flower, smoked tea leaf and caraway fill the glass. The firm and juicy mouth feel guides your palate into ripe, varietal flavors of cherry preserves, fresh boysenberry, rose water, dark chocolate, maple sugar and generous barrel spice that linger through the long finish. Recommended drinking time is three to four years from vintage, maximum suggested aging is nine years from vintage.
Detailed Wine Information
Vineyard Manager: Eric Titus
Winemaker: Phillip Titus
Appellation: Napa Valley
Blend: 75% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec
Harvest Date: 10/22/05
Barrel Aging: 18 months - 40% new barrels,100% French oak
Bottled: March 2007
Cases Produced: 740
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: .57 grams/100 ml
pH: 3.65
Release: July 2007
Press & Praise
90 Vintrust's SOMM SELECTIONS (Winter 2007)
AROMA: very spicy, black pepper and curry
FLAVOR: smoke, black tea, cocoa
STRUCTURE: velvety and rich with a cleansing acidity
LENGTH: soft and even, with finish of mild tannin
BALANCE: very complex, should balance with age
DRINK: 2007-2016
"Here's an amazing conjunction of soft appealing ripeness and a relentless tannic and oaken structure. The elements are classic, as in the red cabernet franc wines of the central Loire Valley: spiced and macerated red and black currants and blueberries; cedar and cigar box; granite and gravel; forest and underbrush; violets and lavender; dusty plums. The oak is perfumed, almost exotic and ecclesiastical, like incense in an ancient church where the wood altar is polished every day, while the finish is long, demanding and austere. 561 cases. Best from 2009 or '10 through 2015 or '17." - Fredric Koeppel, KoeppelOnWine (December 2007)
 GOLD MEDAL - BEST OF APPELLATION AWARDS for St. Helena, Napa Valley AVA
(Appellation America - May, 2008)
The best wines are defined by place, and the character of each appellation is defined by its best wines. The Best-of-Appellation evaluation program is an on-going process of identifying the wines in each appellation which best express the character of the appellation and the quality of wine craftsmanship in the region. Appellation America salutes these producers, not only for their individual achievement, but for their contribution to building the identity and reputation of fine winegrowing appellations, such as St. Helena.
2005 TITUS Cabernet Franc - 88 Points, The Wine Advocate (Dec. 2007)
“The attractive, dark ruby/purple-tinged 2005 Cabernet Franc offers elegant blue and red fruit-dominated aromatics with notions of spice, graphite, and earth in the background. Medium-bodied and stylish, it is best consumed over the next 4-5 years.”
|
