2002 Cabernet, Hidden Vineyard

The 2002 vintage of Topel Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from a fairly long growing season with only a few periods of excessive heat. The grapes ripened gracefully, retaining deep, berry-like flavors and substantial acidity.

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 finely balanced. This vintage, more than any before it, reflects the unique microclimate and mineral-laden soils of our mountainside vineyard. While it is delicious now, the wine is also a prime candidate for extended cellaring.

Méthode:  The grapes were field crushed and allowed to spontaneously ferment in one-ton lots. Each lot was punched down by hand five times a day for 18 days. The wine was pressed into 75% new French oak barrels (Taransaud and Remond COF medium toast). The wine aged for 28 months with minimal intrusion. Following bottling, it aged another 12 months before its release in January 2006.

Awards! Accolades

2006 Savor Magazine North of the Gate Wine Competition

Silver Medal

2006 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

Silver Medal

2006 California State Fair Wine Competition

Silver Medal

Quarterly Review of Wines, Spring 2006

“Dense inky color; deep bramble berry and spice aromas; concentrated berry flavors, balanced acidity and nicely integrated tannins; long concentrated finish.