William Hill Estate : Napa Valley

1998 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Grape Source

This Reserve wine is a blend of benchland and mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Merlot (4%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Napa Valley.  The grapes were harvested between October 7 and November 3, 1998, at an average 24.0º Brix.

Vintage

1998 was an erratic growing season, with a wet spring causing late budbreak and poor berry set. Harvest didn’t get underway until October, with most of the red varietals being harvested in late October. Temperatures rose with the region’s traditional but tardy “Indian Summer,” bringing grapes quickly to ripeness and spurring a frenzy of activity into early November.

Winemaking

Twenty percent of the wine was whole-berry fermented. Aging took place in a combination of new and one-year-old French oak barrels for 24 months.

Winemaker notes

Our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied, fruit driven wine with generous oak spice notes.  The vines from our estate on Silverado Bench, with its rolling terrain and rocky soils, produce tiny berries in long, loose clusters that possess intense, rich flavor.

The 1998 William Hill Estate Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex wine with rich, lush fruit flavors and round, plush tannins. Notes of cedar, vanilla and cassis complement aromas and flavors of dark berry fruit. The mouthfeel is smooth and silky and the rich fruit and spice flavors carry through to the long lingering finish. This is a big, rich Cabernet to enjoy now or continue to age for the next ten to fifteen years.

Food Recommendations

This fruit-forward wine pairs beautifully with roasted meats, rich stews or tomato based sauces. Try it with dishes such as grilled lamb chops served over a bed of creamy polenta and sautéed greens, bacon wrapped filet mignon with truffle infused mashed potatoes, or a thick rich three cheese lasagna.