REFLECTIONS OF THE 2003 HARVEST

The harvest for the year 2003, as one looks back on it, was beautifully temperate with warm daytime temperatures and above average night time degrees. Warm nights with almost no wind made it difficult for cold morning picking temperatures, thus little flexibility for extended cold soaking prior to fermentation. It was not until the last batch of cabernet sauvignon, which represented almost half the vintage, did we see the night time temperatures drop into the 40’s.

We picked five different batches of fruit over five consecutive weekends, one batch of merlot and four batches of cabernet. The merlot usually ripens two to three weeks before the cabernet. The north block of merlot faces east with a significant tree line to the south which shortens the exposure of afternoon sun by 20%. This gives us a little longer hang time and thus better wine. After pressing, the merlot had a beautiful cherry nose with copious amounts of rose petals. The color was ruby red, typical for merlot, brilliant and clear.

The first batch of cabernet we picked from two different spots, the east end of the rocky knoll and the north valley. We picked the first five rows of the rocky knoll where the soil type is actually a sandy loam. The other 85% of this block is truly a rocky and rugged environment. For a late ripening variety like cabernet, it’s not often that you can pick these five rows this early; however, the crop was lighter this year coupled with the appropriate timing of leaf synensis (natural dropping of the basal leaves) gave us the mature ripe flavors we were looking for. After pressing this batch it had all the appearances of being a fantastic part of the overall blend. Great dark purple color with beautiful structure and loads of plum for the senses to revel.

The north valley has a soil type very similar to the rocky knoll, lean and rugged; the difference is that it faces directly south with a significant tree line to the west. This section receives a very soft afternoon sun angel. Fruit is picked from this section every year because of its’ consistent quality in all three aspects; color, fruit, and mature tannins.

The second batch of cabernet came from the serpentine and red clay loam blocks. The serpentine block faces east and is planted to a cabernet clone #337. This is a small berried clone that has an excellent skin to juice ratio. The batch had great color, fruit and structure that equal the quality of the east side of the rocky knoll. It was the first time picking out of this block and I was very pleased with the final product.

The red clay loam is on a west facing slope. It is a block that gives you amazing aromas of blueberry, good color and structure. If you’re looking for fruit this is the block!! The third batch of cabernet sauvignon was all red clay loam.

This red clay loam, picked on the third weekend of October, had more ripeness and more mature tannins. It had that huge blueberry fruit component, which is the main reason why I pick from this block. Fruit, Fruit, Fruit!!!

The last batch to be picked was the other 85% of the rocky knoll. Because of the brutal nature of the rocky soil profile, it is always the last block picked for the season. Patience is the key word for this block. When the section is ready it is one of the more interesting. The essence of mineral in the wine is its’ most attractive quality. There is an almost effervescent feeling on the palate that only comes from this rocky ground. It is the final piece to the puzzle when garnering all of the brilliant complexities of Icaria Creek Vineyards.

This is my interpretation of the 2003 harvest. So much is accomplished in such a short period of time. The culmination of seasons work, all encapsulated into one little month.

I hope that this information gives you some insight into the style that makes Icaria Cabernet Sauvignon so unique!!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Smith, Winemaker