Sleeping Lady is immaculately farmed, resulting in fruit that has characteristics of a hillside vineyard even though it lies on the Valley floor. Silky, soft tannins quickly firm and suggest the wine is an ager. Voluptuous, rich and layered with flavors. Sleeping Lady Cabernet is a poster child for Napa Valley with great structure and beautiful complexity. Aromas and flavors of bold blue fruits led by blueberry and floral notes of violet and lavender. Balancing vanilla and well-integrated oak with a touch of oak spice frame a plush mouthfeel with a soft, lingering finish.
Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
---|---|
Vintage | 2015 |
Volume | 750mL |
Appellation | Napa Valley |
Alcohol % | 14.8% |
Enclosure Type | Cork |
Fruit was hand-harvested and hand-sorted, selecting only the highest quality fruit for fermentation in a combination of French oak tanks and stainless vessels. Fruit was allowed to ferment for up to 20 days with regular pump-overs to extract deep color and rich flavors. The wine was then gently pressed, racked and aged for 19 months in 100% French oak (75% new) from COF toasted medium/medium plus from a mix of coopers including Gamba, Remond, Taransaud, Allary and Quintessence.
Director of Winemaking Harry Hansen was raised in nearby Sonoma County. “One of my earliest memories of wine was the gallon jug of red wine that we always had at home. I would go with my father to a local winery, maybe in Kenwood or Healdsburg, to refill that jug and chit-chat with the winery proprietors. The aromas of those wines were always something attractive, somehow mysterious, but always memorable.”
Harry joined Sterling Vineyards and relocated to Napa Valley just before the 2011 Harvest. “The opportunity to join such a respected Napa Valley winery is exciting and a fantastic next step in my winemaking career. Sterling Vineyards is making some wonderful wines, and I look forward to taking that next step up in quality and reputation.”
The 2015 growing season was marked by pleasant weather with little pressure from heat spikes or unseasonable rain. A dry winter was quickly followed by an equally dry spring, leading to an early bud break. Warm weather continued throughout late spring and summer, allowing for the steady development of flavors. The overall quality, complexity and balance in the vines produced exceptional fruit. The impact of the continuing drought was evident in slightly lighter crop loads, but the reduction in size was offset by an increase in quality as vineyard crews carefully selected fruit at harvest, allowing for only the finest to be chosen for this special bottling.
Looking toward the West Bench of Yountville, snug upon the Mayacamas mountain range, the distinct profile of a woman at rest on her side framed by distinctive foothills explains the name of this meticulously farmed vineyard. There are multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in small blocks across 50 acres here, including several favorites of winemaker Harry Hansen, who often selects blocks with Clone 2, known for small clusters and small, intensely flavored berries with a history in Napa and Sonoma dating to the 1880s, aromatic Clone 22 and Clone 30, with local roots in the Stags Leap District from the See Ranch.
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