By Immortal Estate
2019 Slope Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Details
Varietal Composition: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon 2% Petit Verdot
Vineyard: Hidden Ridge Vineyard
Clones: 337, 4, 8
Harvest: October 17, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27

Vineyard
The Hidden Ridge Vineyard lies within an enclosed valley on steep mountainside slopes with mostly eastern and southern exposures at elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,700 feet. The soils are a complex mixture of uplifted alluvium and decomposed volcanic material typical of the Mayacamas Range and vary throughout the vineyard. The vineyard is on steep, mostly terraced slopes. The lean soils and steep slopes naturally limit vine vigor and yield remarkably small-berried fruit. Although the vineyard is usually above the fog and sees warm days, the site is protected from inland heat. It receives ocean cooling from early morning and late afternoon breezes that moderate our growing temperatures somewhat cooler than Spring Mountain directly to the east. The extended growing day at moderate temperatures gives the fruit well-developed tannins and a rich texture, while preserving the complex fruit characters and natural acidity lost in warmer locations.

Vintage
The 2019 growing year began with moderate late-winter and early-spring rains, a relief in perpetually drought-stricken California. While rain supplies our water, in late spring it can inhibit flowering and fruit set, reducing the crop. We avoided any real losses. Yet a few heavier rains in May enhanced vine vigor, necessitating extra work managing the canopy to ensure properly exposed, well-ripened fruit. The weather warmed in June and remained steady and warm, with a few modest heat spikes in August, September, and October. Extreme heat can damage quality, but moderate heat can drive development and limit berry size, ultimately aiding concentration. Overall, the vintage is very reminiscent of those a decade earlier, showcasing ripe fruit with well-ripened seeds and skins providing abundant color, flavor, texture, and balance.

Winemaking
Vineyard blocks were selected for harvest by taste, and subsections of rows were selected for each harvest day. The vineyard was harvested into nine lots over eleven days, reflecting the varying development of different aspects, elevations, and rootstocks. Hand-harvested and meticulously sorted, the fruit was cold-soaked prior to fermentation and underwent post-fermentation maceration on the skins for 27 to 41 days, depending on the lot. The wines were pressed to 75% new French oak, where they underwent malolactic fermentation. These wines were racked a total of three times during elevage and bottled unfiltered in May 2022.

Tasting Notes
Our 2019 Slope is rich with dark, brambly fruit framed by sweet spices, coffee, and chocolate, all carried on a supple yet dense palate. As the wine opens, it reveals layers of flavor: raspberry leaf, blueberry, lavender, and spice cake, completed with blackberry, hibiscus, black tea, Muscovado sugar, and espresso. While the mountain tannins provide a dense framework to carry the wine, they are well-ripened, supple, and relax into velvet with decanting. Accessible in its youth, it will continue to evolve for decades.
[Information provided by Wine Procurement Services]