Inspire Cabernet Sauvignon 2008


GOLD MEDAL winner in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition our 2008 vintage replacement for the excellent 2006 Inspire which was made from Rutherford grapes.
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This 2008 Inspire is from our own Dry Creek Valley vineyards exhibiting a bouquet of haunting interest. A wonderful dark ruby color with a breathtaking sensual aroma offering an immediately pleasant sweet black fruit transforming to a dark plum flavor. Similar in flavor and intensity to some of the best Bordeaux but distinctly riper and slightly less tannic, this wine is extremely food friendly and will enhance the enjoyment of many dishes. Soft enough to caress foods like eggplant or mushrooms but with sufficient power to pair against a New York or T-Bone steak, Inspire has our signature food-friendly qualities that will please the most discriminating wine lover.

NOTE: This wine has now exceeded our recommended bottle age period - if you still have one in your cellar, allow it to come to room temperature, carefully remove the cork and decant, without any splashing or bubbles. Taste immediately then let sit for 30 minutes and taste again. Continue tasting every 30 minutes until the wine is too good to wait any longer or until the wine is gone or the taster has fallen asleep. - Enjoy, Bill
The 2008 year began with intense storms with heavy rains but spring season was one of the driest on record with virtually no rainfall prompting vines to push early and then the frigid dry air created three weeks of the worst frost in decades. Then a triple digit heat spike at the time that vines were beginning to flower when fruit and vine development is particularly susceptible. The resulting fewer clusters, smaller berries and less canopy allowed the vines to focus on what little fruit was left. The summer continued cooler with consistent temperatures and healthy vines. A week-long heat spell over the Labor Day holiday ratcheted up the pace of the white harvest however the red varieties languished on the vine with optimal hang time, excellent ripening and balanced structure. The light rain events in late September and early October had no effect on the grapes. Having met the challenges of a crazy weather year we found ourselves harvesting fruit with incredible concentration which translated in the winery to very well structured, concentrated, elegant wines.
French Oak for 22 months, approximately 40% new, 40% one use and the balance neutral.
No allergens were used in the making of this wine.
Color Red
Vintage 2008
Style Red Bordeaux
Appellation Dry Creek Valley
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Date Bottled 22nd Sep 2010
Drinkable 2011 - 2015
Alcohol 14.50%
Bottle Size 750ml