Harvest and Varietal Information

Those who know Cain know that our mantra is “complexity, balance, finish.” Ripeness goes without saying, but ripeness, per se, is not the goal, and over-ripeness would be our particular bête noire. Like 2002, 2003 was warm and made for an early harvest, but, mercifully, it was not quite as hot as 2002. We were able to bring in grapes that were fresh, rich, and complex—the perfect fruit from which to develop the signature balance of Cain Five.

The 2003 is a classic Cain Five, reminiscent of 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996. Ripe and balanced, with floral notes, the wine is a bit tighter and slightly less evolved than the 2002—which suggests that our 2003 Cain Five will age extremely well. It will drink well now and in the next few years, and it should also show well 10 to 15 years from now. This is a firmly structured wine—the nose is discretely subtle, a very pure cassis is hiding in the background (which bodes well)—it sings a quiet, clear note all the way through to the end. The full, sweet entry fills out to a satisfying mid-palate, leading to a long, smooth finish.

Our winemaking is simple: We believe that red wine is a partial extraction of the grape. Our goal is to get what we want and to leave the rest behind. At Cain, this means hand picking, gentle destemming, native-yeast fermentation, and manual pressing. The wine completes malolactic fermentation in the barrel, is blended early, is racked barrel-to-barrel, is egg-white fined, and is bottled without filtration.

ABOUT CAIN VINEYARD & WINERY
Cain Vineyard & Winery overlooks St. Helena from the top of Spring Mountain in the western hills of Napa Valley. The estate vineyard is planted to the five classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. We make three wines: Cain Cuvée; Cain Concept, representing the classical benchlands of the Napa Valley; and our signature blend, Cain Five.

Christopher Howell, General Manager/Winemaker