By Clif Family
2017 Croquet Vineyard Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Vineyard
The Clif Family Winery Croquet Vineyard is located on the north side of Howell Mountain on Ink Grade Road. Named for the professional croquet court on the property, these vines are planted on a steep slope at an elevation of 1,785 ft. The soil is Aiken Loam, known for its rich, red color, clay composition, and slower drainage. The exposure and aspect of the Croquet Vineyard make it a warmer site than the neighboring Cold Springs Estate Vineyard.

Winemaking
Hand-harvested in the cool morning hours, the fruit is hand-sorted before and after the destemmer. After a three-day cold soak, the juice is inoculated with cultured yeast. During fermentation, temperature and extraction are carefully managed. The wine is then pressed off the skins and placed in French oak barrels for aging. Prior to bottling, the winemaker selects the very best barrels for this small-production, single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes
When the wine is first opened, aromas of creamy vanilla, tobacco, and black currant fill the glass. After some time, the wine opens up to fresh-picked blackberries, cherry pie, and cinnamon. The entry is soft and lush. On the mid-palate, the tannins are broad and long-lasting through the finish.

Wine Information
Appellation: Howell Mountain
Composition: 100% estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak Program: 20 months in 90% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.80%
Harvest Date: September 22nd, 2017
Release Date: October, 2020
[Information provided by Matador Vino]

Wine: 2017 Clif Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Croquet Vineyard
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window: 2020 - 2040
Review Date: 01/31/2020
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes: The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Croquet Vineyard offers a more textbook Howell Mountain profile with its blue fruits, scrub brush, pine/forest floor, and violet-like aromas and flavors. With stunning purity of fruit, polished tannins, and full-bodied mouthfeel, this beautiful, elegant yet powerful mountain Cabernet can be drunk today or cellared for 15-20 years.

Wine: Clif Family Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Croquet Vineyard 2017
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink now through 2034
Review Date: 06/03/2021
Reviewed By: James Molesworth
Tasting Notes: This tilts to the flamboyant side, with a gush of blackberry, acai berry and boysenberry fruit flavors inlaid with sweet sage and sassafras notes, carried by tarry and strident tannins that meld steadily through the finish while the fruit keeps pace. Ends with warm fruitcake and licorice root notes. Best from 2022 through 2034.

Wine: Clif Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Howell Mountain Croquet Vineyard 2017
Score/Rating: 89
Review Date: 10/07/2019
Reviewed By: James Suckling
Tasting Notes: A round and easy red with plum and berry character and hints of wet earth. Medium body. Medium, fruity finish. Drink now.