2001 Cabernet, Hidden Vineyard

The 2001 growing season began with an unusually dry winter, followed by severe frost in April.  Mother Nature then loosened her grip in May and June, rewarding the vines with two of the warmest growing months on record.  July and August brought cooler temperatures, which extended the growing period, allowing the grapes to mature gracefully.  They were picked over 10 days at the end of October.

The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot, all grown in Hidden Vineyard on the Topel Estate, situated on the side of Duncan Peak in southern Mendocino County, near Hopland.  It is highly concentrated, deeply colored and well balanced, with nuances of chocolate-covered cherries.

Méthode:  The grapes were field crushed and allowed to spontaneously ferment in small batches of less than one ton each.  The wine was pressed into 80% new French oak barrels (Demptos and Remond, COF, medium toast).  The remaining 20% was held in one-year-old French oak. The wine aged for 31 months with minimal intrusion.

Awards! Accolades

Touring & Tasting Magazine, Spring 2006

“Elegant, with intense flavors of blackberry, anise and chocolate.”

Quarterly Review of Wines, Spring 2006

Topel 2001 Monterey County Cabernet Sauvignon, Hidden Valley Reserve
“Dense inky color; deep bramble berry and spice aromas; concentrated berry flavors, balanced acidity and nicely integrated tannins; long concentrated finish.”

Vintners Club Great California Cabernets, Non-Napa Tasting, October 2004

First in a Vintners Club blind tasting of 11 premium Cabernet/Bordeaux blends from areas outside of Napa County.

Wine Enthusiast: 89

"Much work evidently went into crafting this wine. It’s intense in black currant flavors, with a beautiful polish of chocolate and green olive. The tannins are softly rich. There’s good balancing acidity, and a sweet jacket of spicy oak. This is a Mendocino Cab worth watching."