Archived Reviews

Snowden 2007, A Vintage for Goldilocks
From Diana Snowden Seysses

We read lots of bedtime stories these days to my son who will be two years old in December. Reflecting back on the 2007 Snowden vintage what comes to mind is the phrase, "Not too hot, not too cold, everything was just right."

The 2007 growing season was "just right" for Cabernet Sauvignon: mild and dry. The overall average temperatures were lower than the previous few years, which allowed the grapes to remain on the vine for ripeness without high sugars. With the exception of some heat around Labor Day, the late summer and early fall remained temperate.

Harvest began with the Merlot on the 12th of September. A little rain followed, then the weather returned to pattern of moderately warm days and now cool nights. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were picked between October 7th and 9th.

Fermentation proceeded effortlessly, and within weeks the wines were already proving to be stunning. The wines spent the next 18 months in Taransaud, Bossuet, Reymond and Sylvain French Oak until bottling, unfiltered, June 4, 2009.

The 2007 is, without question, the most beautiful vintage I have seen from my family's property. Enjoy!

2007 Reserve Reviews
94-96 POINTS (Wine Advocate, 12/2008)
"The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc) reveals a character typical of other wines from this site. Espresso roast, cedar, chocolate, black currant, roasted coffee, and scorched earth characteristics result in a Napa version of a top-notch Pessac-Leognan from Bordeaux. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied, pure, and multidimensional with layers that build incrementally without heaviness. This superb, savory, potentially stunning Cabernet Sauvignon should keep for three decades."

92-94 POINTS (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Review, May 2009)
Good full red-ruby. Flamboyant aromas of currant, licorice, dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Sweet, dense and thick, with superripe flavors of black raspberry, dark chocolate and exotic spices. A bit chunkier than the Ranch, and showing more new oak and more obvious tannins today, but this also offers superb potential.

BARREL SAMPLE (Wine Advocate, 12/2008)
Qualitatively, Snowden is an awakening giant, but as is the case with many Napa estates, production is limited (1,000 cases of The Ranch and 700 of the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve). These cuvees are produced from one of Napa's most privileged sites, 23 acres of beautiful hillside vineyards above the Auberge du Soleil, and adjacent to the Sloan and Hall properties. Proprietor Scott Snowden, working with his gifted daughter, Diane (who is married to Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac), and consultant David Ramey, is pushing the pedal to the metal at Snowden.

***

Robert Parker review
Rating - 90
Wine Advocate
There are 600 cases of the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, a flinty, steely white made in a Loire Valley style. It reveals plenty of melon and honeyed citrus characteristics along with medium body, a surprisingly captivating texture, and good length. Aging on its less has provided additional texture and body, but it is a crisp, pure Sauvignon to enjoy over the next 1-2 years.

***

Robert Parker review
Rating - 95
Wine Advocate

The prodigious 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8+% Petit Verdot, and about 5% Cabernet Franc) reveals aromas of flowers, espresso roast, blackberries, and creme de cassis. This exuberant, rich, full-bodied Cabernet coats the palate, but is neither heavy nor overbearing. Sweet, substantial, well-integrated tannins along with decent acidity, and a stunningly long, 50-second finish make for a compelling glass of young, but promising Cabernet Sauvignon. This 2006 should hit its peak in 3-5 years, and last for 25 or more.

***

Robert Parker review
Rating - 92
Wine Advocate

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch (composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and a dollop of Petit Verdot) offers up aromas of burning embers, blackberries, cassis, licorice, and a touch of bouquet garni. The complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied wine displaying velvety tannin, and a bold finish with considerable depth as well as length. Drink this excellent Napa Cabernet over the next 15-20 years.

2006 Growing Season

The growing season started out with rain showers throughout spring and into early summer. The wet weather delayed bloom until mid-June. The berries were still green and hard when we experienced record-breaking heat spikes in July. Later in the year, at harvest, the berries were still remarkably small and I wondered if this heat spike was the explanation. The weather from July until harvest was even, allowing the grapes to slowly ripen into October.

Then, in late October, offshore winds started blowing, concentrating the sugars and pushing us to pick. We began picking with the Merlot on October 17th, and finished with the Petit Verdot on October 29th. The natural alcohols were high, and I worried about my wild yeast surviving through the end of fermentation.

With some help, the tanks all fermented dry in two and a half weeks. They were then pressed and transferred to Taransaud, Bossuet, Reymond and Sylvain French Oak where they stayed until bottling on August 6, 2008.

Both our Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and The Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon come entirely from our property in the hills overlooking the Rutherford AVA.