The 2002 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is made from Eisele Vineyard fruit in Napa, a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a dense, structured vintage with a long horizon.
About This Wine
A winter of normal rainfall ended early in spring, and warm, dry conditions then produced a light crop of small-berried fruit. Extra clusters were thinned at green harvest in June, and a mild summer followed, with warm days and cool, even cold nights. Temperatures passed 100 degrees Fahrenheit at the end of August and into September, and the estate’s organic and Biodynamic farming had the vines in good shape to take it. After sorting in the field, the crew picked the young grapes from 11 September and the older blocks during the cool night hours of 23 to 25 September, at complete phenolic ripeness. The fruit was cold-soaked, fermented with native yeasts and macerated at length in small stainless tanks, then aged 25 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in November 2004.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Cassis and violet with warm spice.
- Palate: Dense black fruit and chocolate over structured tannin.
- Finish: Anise and mineral notes mark the close.
Serving & Food
Serve in a broad glass after any sediment has been removed. Beef rib with herbs stands up to its depth, and the anise in the wine works well with a winter meal.
How to Enjoy
Taste this alongside the 2001 to compare consecutive harvests from Eisele, and note how differently the seasons behaved. Store it in a cool, dark cabinet and open it at room temperature.
Product Details
Producer: Araujo Estate
Vintage: 2002
Region: Napa Valley, California
Grapes: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Casks: 100% new French oak, 25 months
ABV: 14.6%
Production: 1,630 cases
Release year: 2005
Volume: 750mL
About the Winery
Winemaker Francoise Peschon was at the bench through this period, and the cellar method she describes is exacting. Fruit is sorted, de-stemmed and cold-soaked, fermented with native yeasts and left on the skins for long macerations in small stainless tanks, then matured in new French oak. The vineyard behind it is farmed on Biodynamic principles, with insectaries planted through the site to draw in beneficial insects, owl and bird boxes set to work the ground, and one prized block left fallow so that a pest can be dealt with by waiting rather than by spraying.