Description
2020 ULYSSES
Oakville – Napa Valley
Ulysses is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Harvest Start: Sept 14th
Harvest End: Sept 25th
Cases Produced: 700
Release Date March 2024
WEATHER 2020:
The vintage was characterized by a dry winter and spring, with a total of 17” of rain from July 2019 to June 2020 (historical average: 31”).
With warm temperatures in the spring and well-drained soils, vines developed balanced shoot growth.
Summer temperatures were constantly warm allowing a fast and homogeneous ripening.
In the night of August 16th to 17th, about 11,000 lightning strikes across northern California were recorded and sparked the LNU Lightning Complex fires.
Until mid-September, there were several days with dense smoke.
Testing and microfermentations confirmed that the berries were unaffected by smoke taint.
The vines and fruit were rinsed prior to picking.
Harvest was completed before grapes could be affected by the Glass Fire which started on September 27.
Selection by hand and optical sorting were critical to remove berries impacted by the heat.
Winemaker’s Notes:
Tart cherry, thyme, citrus, blonde tobacco with firm tannins and a powerful persistent finish.
James Suckling – 98 Points
Aromas of tangerine zest and blackcurrants, with the perfume of fresh flowers. Full-bodied with a dusty texture to the tannins. Gorgeous. Nuanced and pure. Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of cabernet franc and petit verdot. Needs three or four years to open.
Jeb Dunnuck – 94 Points
Another incredibly successful 2020, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a big, rich, powerful profile offering ample chocolaty dark fruits, some tobacco, eucalyptus, and mint herb nuances, an expansive, layered texture, and building yet polished and ripe tannins.
It’s a beautiful wine that should age gracefully for 15-20 years.
2020 | Tech Sheet | POS | Label | Bottle Shot