2011 gave Snowden a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon marked by balance, focus, and precision, rather than brawn.  A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, winemaker Diana Snowden Seysses chose to embrace, rather than fight, the unusually cool 2011 growing season.  She did not chaptalize, reverse-osmose, add domestic yeast, tannins or extractive enzymes, nor overheat or overwork the must.  The resulting wine is lighter and lower in alcohol than our Reserves from warmer years such as 2007 and 2010, but marked by vibrancy, purity, and a patrician elegance.  What directly connects the 2011 Reserve to all of our wines is our determination to honor our vineyards, our site, and the seasons that produce each year's wines.  As always with our Reserves in their younger years, we recommend decanting the wine ahead of serving.