1996 Fetzer Barrel Select
Cabernet Sauvignon

ACID/pH: .61/3.48 ALCOHOL: 13.5% RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.02% BOTTLED: 4/99 RELEASE DATE: 7/00 CASES PRODUCED: 25,100 SUGG. RETAIL (CA): $14.99

WINEMAKER NOTES
Above average rainfall on the North Coast, combined with a cool, slow growing season, resulted in a relatively small Cabernet Sauvignon crop. A warm blast of September and October heat boosted the sugar levels to the ripeness needed to make this vintage an excellent one. At the crush pad, the grapes were bursting with rich berry fruit flavors.

Fetzer Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon is created from what winemaker John White loves to call a compilation of his "greatest vineyards." Grapes from some of the better known North Coast vineyards are in this final blend, such as Schmidt, Burnett, Meola, and Orsi of Sonoma County, forming the backbone of this wine.

After harvest in late October, the grapes were crushed into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Once the primary fermentation was complete, the new wine remained in tanks for 10-15 days of additional skin contact. This "extended maceration" yields a wine with rich color and softened tannins. The finished wine was then aged in small French oak barrels for 24 months. Before bottling, egg whites were used to fine the wine to further soften the tannins.

GRAPE SOURCING
100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Sonoma (50%), Mendocino (30%), Napa (15%), and Lake (5%) Counties. The average sugar at harvest was 23.6° Brix. All of the grapes were harvested in late-October, 1996.

FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS
The full, lush flavors of this wine complement richly flavored meat and game dishes. Preparations that offer accents of anise and green peppercorns will bring out complex nuances in the glass. Hearty pasta dishes with sun-dried tomatoes and Italian sausage are also fine companions for this elegant Cabernet Sauvignon.

AGING
The wine was aged 24 months in French oak barrels (30% new, 30% one-year-old and 40% two-year-old).