1998 Cabernet Sauvignon

"Nineteen ninety-eight was a challenging vintage," says Beth Milliken, "but we were helped by the small size of the crop. We thinned three times during the summer, and then again just before the harvest, after a hot spell in mid-September. At that point, we eliminated the dehydrated clusters, but the seeds were still green. We lucked out with a nice October, and didn't start picking until October 8." The '99 harvest began September 30, but there was actually more hang time in this growing season, and the fruit ripened more evenly.

With the exception of a few acres of vines dating back to the '70s, virtually all of the Spottswoode vines have been replanted on resistant rootstock since 1991. Production will rise over the next few years as two additional replanted blocks produce fruit suitable for the estate's grand vin. Recent vintages have included about 5% cabernet franc, although, according to President Beth Novak-Milliken, a bit of cabernet sauvignon in the front yard will be planted over to franc, which the estate feels will be especially dense and chocolatey. The Spottswoode cabernet is aged in about 55% new oak until the last racking. After the uneven set in '98, Spottswoode did serious crop thinning on three separate occasions, then pulled leaves on both sides of the vines, thereby aerating the grapes and making them more resistant to rot following the rain and humidity of late August.