Stuhlmuller Vineyards
2010 Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Proprietor
Fritz Stuhlmuller
Winemaker
Leo Hansen
Vineyards
Stuhlmuller Vineyards is located at the southern edge of the Alexander
Valley, where it converges with two other highly regarded Sonoma County
appellations, Chalk Hill and the Russian River Valley. On its eastern edge, the
150-acre vineyard borders the Russian River. Situated in a location that is part
river benchlands and part hillside, the vineyard benefits from its alluvial
gravel soils and the more rocky soils of the hillside sections.
The Clones
The fruit for this Cabernet emphasizes three clones, from three separate
blocks. From the river benchland we use a block of clone 337 for its fruitforward black cherry flavors. On an adjacent block, planted over 20 years
ago, we grow a field selection from the Belle Terre Vineyard, which produces
grapes with tannic concentration and blue fruit notes. And lastly, from a
terraced hillside block we use clone 7 fruit, which adds floral layers and
classic Cabernet cassis and cherry elements.
The Vintage
Cool-to-moderate temperatures with lots of fog continued well into summer,
until things warmed up in September, starting with a big heat spike at the
beginning of the month. The September warmth kick-started the ripening, and
we began a protracted harvest in the third week of September that went into
November. Yields were fine in 2010, and the cool weather delivered grapes
with fresh, pure varietal flavors at lower alcohols and with good acidity.
Winemaking We used a mix of open-top tanks with manual punching-down, and closed-top
tanks where the must was pumped over. The closed-top tanks added to palate
texture, while the open-top tanks helped to retain fruit intensity. The wine was
racked to 53 percent new French oak and underwent native malolactic
fermentation. Each block was fermented and aged separately for 10 months
before blending, with barrel aging for a total of 18 months.
The Wine
This is classic Alexander Valley Cabernet, with enticing aromas of cassis,
blueberry, black olive, licorice, forest floor and tea leaves. A true expression
of time and place, it captures the coolness of the vintage with fine-grained
tannins and an appealing freshness. Complex notes of rye dough, loamy earth
and purple flowers add depth and intrigue. Our favorite Estate Cab to date!
Technical
Notes
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Bottled:
Suggested Retail:
14.1%
95.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.5% Petit Verdot
3.71
6.2 g/l
2,600 cases
Fall 2012
April 2012
$38.00