Vintage Notes
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon

We are extremely excited about this gorgeous vintage and proud to make it available to all of you for your enjoyment.

Our 2002 vintage was bottled late August 2003. The harvest of these grapes was remarkable. Our winemaker, Cary Gott, was amazed at how perfect every berry was on the cluster. In all of his years of winemaking, he said that he had never seen more perfect fruit!

Imagine opening up the elegantly crafted wooden boxes and unveiling these beautiful gold-labeled bottles nestled in black velvet.

Robert Mondavi gave the grandiose compliment saying , “Pillar Rock is wonderful.”

James Laube gave Pillar Rock 2001 its first rating in Wine Spectator magazine and gave the wine an outstanding score.

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Growing Season A volatile season marked by a late April frost and unseasonably hot weather in May and June. Cooler weather in August slowed things down a bit yet harvest was still a little earlier than usual.
Vineyard The 22-acre estate in the heart of the Stags Leap District is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Stags Leap District is renowned for its elegant, distinctive and full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.
Harvest Brix: 25.
Acid: 0.34 g/100 ml
pH: 3.77
Harvest dates: 8/31 (Merlot) to 10/3/01 (Cabernet Sauvignon)
Fermentation & Aging Fermentation and extended maceration were easily accomplished in 29 days (about 8 days of fermentation and the balance extended maceration). After a short period in tank, the four different lots were moved to 100% new French oak barrels from five different tonnelleries. I favor tight grain Chateaux Ferre barrels with medium plus toast, from the forests of Never and Allier. A few of the barrels are the cooper’s choice mixed forest blend of the tightest grain (read the most expansive).

The wine was racked every three months during the first year in barrel and two times after the first 12 months.

During the first year, I created the blend, which is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon from four different vineyard blocks and the balance is Merlot (the smallest vineyard block at Pillar Rock). The wine has not been fined. It was bottled on August 26th 2003.
Finished Wine Bottling date: August 26, 2003 Release Spring 2004
Sizes: 1,200 6-bottle wooden cases, 360-1.5L, 6-3.0L, 3-6.0L
Bottle age: More than 6 months
100% Napa Valley Stags Leap District
100% Estate Grown, vinted & bottled
90% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Merlot
Alcohol:  14.5%
Winemaker's Comments The 2001 Pillar Rock Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine. In my 30+ years of winemaking, I have rarely seen grapes as perfect in both flavor and condition. There were virtually no grapes with any kind of defect. This was a wonderful start for a great vintage.

The wine has all of the hallmarks of Stags Leap District and perfect grapes…elegant flavors and a beautiful complex nose. It is just gorgeous and will certainly age wonderfully for decades. This wine is a wow!
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