2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
In 2015, a combination of warm winter temperatures and the ongoing drought caused the season to kick off early, with bud break occurring around March 15th on the Estate. Bloom, or the flowering period, was met by a cold, foggy spring. The cooler spring temperatures slowed down the flowering process, and berries weren’t fully formed and set until mid-May. The berries that did form were quite small and concentrated. July and August brought a few short heat spikes with temperatures over 100 degrees. A heat spike that occurred during the start of September was the last push needed to fully ripen the grapes.
Tasting Notes:
This classic Cabernet Sauvignon opens with complexity of bold aromas; ripe cherry, dark chocolate and black licorice intertwine with earthy notes of dried sage, scorched earth and just a hint of rose petal. The palate is broad and coating at entry, with potent, lingering flavors of dark cocoa, anise and black currant. Structurally, the wine is chiseled and precise, offering tannins that are both fine grained and firm. Texturally, this wine has a distinct contrasting nature: there is a sleek richness and also a very focused tannin profile. In essence, this wine is classic in nature; it expresses the freshness and elegance that is so deeply connected to the Kelly Fleming Estate, while also conveying a powerful combination of substance, structure and length that are bound to develop beautifully with time in the bottle. Click here for tech sheet
- Rebecca George, Winemaker
Press:
"Kelly Fleming's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is a total knock-out. Dazzling in its richness and intensity, the 2015 delivers serious flavor intensity while retaining its classic sense of structure and place. Crème de cassis, plum, lavender and licorice build into the unctuous, full-throttle finish. The 2015 is a tour de force from Kelly Fleming and her brilliant winemaker Rebecca George, not to mention one of the finest wines of the vintage. Don't miss it." - Antonio Galloni, VINOUS, 97 points
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HARVEST DATES: September 3, 2015- September 10, 2015
GRAPE SOURCE: Kelly Fleming Estate Vineyard
APPELLATION: Calistoga, Napa Valley
WINEMAKING TEAM: Rebecca George & Françoise Peschon
VINEYARD MANAGER: Michael Wolf
BLEND: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ALCOHOL: 14.9%
OAK PROFILE: 75% new French oak, 25% neutral French oak
AGING: 20 months
CASES PRODUCED: 977
BOTTLED: June 2017
Library Wines:
2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon