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2005 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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, located on the valley floor just north of St. Helena on the Silverado Trail, possesses 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. Further north, our Ehlers Lane Vineyard consists of a stony, dry streambed and a knoll composed of thin gravelly soil over hard volcanic ash. Planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon these infertile soils produce low yields of grapes with concentrated flavors.
 
Vinification
Following harvest, the grapes were de-stemmed but not crushed, allowing increased control over tannin extraction by minimizing the possibility of broken skins and split seeds. Following a 48-hour cold soak to extract color and flavor, the grapes underwent a warm, short fermentation, with pump-overs occurring twice daily. The free-run juice was transferred to oak barrels, where it underwent malolactic fermentation.

Wine Profile
Bright and lush, our 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon displays aromas of cassis, blackberry preserve, geranium, violet, and crème brulée flushed with sweet oak spice. On the palate, an impressive, mouth-filling structure supports vibrant flavors of red cherry, cranberry and black currant. Layers of oak spice resonate with tones of coffee, toast and toffee that linger throughout the smooth finish. Recommended drinking time is three to four years from vintage, with about one hour of decanting prior to drinking. Maximum suggested aging is ten years from vintage.

 

Detailed Wine Information

Vineyard Manager:     Eric Titus

Winemaker:                 Phillip Titus

Appellation:                 Napa Valley

Blend:                          79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 1% Merlot

Harvest Dates:          10/04/05 - 10/22/05

Barrel Aging:              20 months - 90% French Oak, 10% American Oak (40% new barrels)

Bottled:                        July 2007

Cases Produced:      3,795

Alcohol:                        14.5%

Total Acidity:                .59 grams/100ml

pH:                                3.78

Release Date:            September 1, 2007

 

Press & Praise


89 Points, CONNOISSEURS' GUIDE To California Wine (Dec. 2008)
2005 TITUS Cabernet Sauvignon
13% Petit Verdot; 7% Malbec; 1% Merlot. There is a nice bit of young, tightly bound fruit to be found in the nose here, and it shares equal billing with rooty spice while touches of tar make themselves known. Similarly, the wine is both fruity and slightly woodsy in taste with nominal tannins for proper structural grip and a firm finish that calls for age.

93 Points - Appellation St. Helena Tasting, Jim Gallagher's Wine Seminar (October 28, 2008)
2005 TITUS Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark red, purple edge; bouquet of blackberry, earth, mineral and light toast; medium body, superb fruit, good acid-tannin balance; superb finish: rich, long, luscious aftertaste—lovely, 3-8 years

91 Points - Enobytes (March 2008)
2005 TITUS Cabernet Sauvignon
Full bodied and heavily perfumed, this wine impresses as soon as it is poured.
Deep purple hue for color and long legs are a great start for this winery; signs of quality in production and finished product will have folks remembering the Titus name after tasting. If you are a fan of well made Napa Cabernets, chances are you have tasted this winemakers wines before as he has served as the winemaker for a couple of award winning prestigious wineries going back two decades. Generous to a fault, this wine gives and gives, awarding the senses with floral and ripe fruit aromas. Made in the classic Bordeaux style, the flavors mingle berry with a hint of deep caramel, chocolate and coffee. The plush finish lingers lush and sexy (MDME).

2005 TITUS Cabernet Sauvignon - 89 Points, The Wine Advocate (Dec. 2007)
“Dark ruby/purple colored, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a sweet bouquet of crème de cassis and black cherries, soft tannin, and an easy-going, broad mouthfeel. Drink it over the next 8-12 years.”

”While the wine is impressively, close to devastatingly, pure and intense, it's also all about structure now, dominated by the broad framing and deep foundation of polished, spicy oak, chewy, grainy tannins and dark, vibrant acid. The wine is reticent, but not truculent, closed in but not distant. Some might call its condition Olympian detachment waiting for the right moment to unbend in a dignified manner, say from 2010 to 2016 to '18.” - Fredric Koeppel, KoeppelOnWine (December 2007)