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2012 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker
Tony Biagi
Vintners
Jeff and Carolyn Smith
Partners
The Chilton and Clark Families
Vineyard Designation
Hourglass Estate
Soil Series
Hambright and Fractured Bedrock
Appellation
St. Helena, Napa Valley
Varietals
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Barrel Program
Aged 22 months in new French oak

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Other Vintages

Current Vintage Overview

As Tony Biagi’s debut vintage, 2012 brought an evolution to the depth, complexity and textural richness that Bob Foley achieved in our wines over the past 15 years. The growing year was ideal, similar to 2001, one of our favorite vintages. A long growing season, with many low to mid 80-degree days and cool evenings, allowed for slow phenolic maturation and great color development with good acidity. The balanced chemistry delivered wines with a wide range of fruit flavors across the red to black fruit spectrum, delicate floral aromas, and a layering of flavors marked against the brightness of acidity. We are extremely proud of Tony Biagi’s debut vintage from our marquee vineyard, one that may prove to be among our best vintages to date.

Tasting Profile

Our 2012 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits balance and precision with a feline grace to match its power. Aromatically, hallmark camphor and mint are present, but more subtle than previous vintages. A high-toned rose petal scent at the bridge of the nose leads to a cascade of tangy red fruits that segues to bass notes of toasty wood smoke while a dark, earthy minerality of the iron rich Hambright soils underscores throughout. Well-knitted, classically structured tannins frame the center of the wine and provide a glimpse into its significant aging potential. Red fruit notes of pomegranate and dark sour cherry interweave with savory black fruit (black currant) to provide soft flesh around the focused core. Texturally, this wine maintains a beautiful balance between grip and silk; its deep richness is evident yet restrained by the tensional pull of a nervy natural acidity and earthy minerality that provide both lift and layered density. The extended finish allows for a long afterthought.

Cellaring Potential

Freshness and vibrancy reside within a classic core structure with refined, tightly integrated tannins. The precision of this vintage is what we find so striking, an exactitude that should translate to great cellar worthiness of 20+ years. As it is a tighter structural weave, reminiscent of the 1999 vintage (yet more expressive as a young wine), we recommend cellaring the ‘12 Hourglass Estate until 2018 or 2019 to achieve some of the more exotic, nuanced rose petal, cedar, and cigar box characteristics. For those too impatient to wait, you will not be disappointed by the younger more fruit drive components, but do decant when possible.

~ Jeff Smith, January 2016

Other Vintages

2016 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2015 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2001 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2000 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
1999 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
1997 Hourglass Estate Cabernet Sauvignon