2005 RUDD OAKVILLE ESTATE PROPRIETARY RED

The 2005 Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red is the sixth vintage from our enchland vineyard at the corner of Oakville Crossroad and Silverado Trail. Fifty-five acres of some of the reddest, rockiest soil in the Napa Valley. Formed by a series of landslides off the Vaca Mountains, this western facing volcanic bench is the ideal site for red Bordeaux vines.

The 2005 growing season was remarkable in many ways. Heavy winter rains that continued into April and May fully recharged the vineyard soils. The summer remained generally mild with no heat spikes and our vineyard crew worked overtime aggressively thinning the large crop load to avoid diluted flavors in the grapes. Outstanding weather in September and October allowed for perfect ripening, with full
flavor development. The harvest began with Merlot and Malbec in early-to-mid September, followed by the Petit Verdot. The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon harvest started at the end of September, with Cabernet Sauvignon continuing until November 1. The wine was bottled, without fining or filtering, in
July 2007.

The 2005 Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red covers the broadest spectrum of flavors to date, combining dark, blue fruits such as black currant and dark berry aromas, and cedar on the nose. The palate shows structure and acidity followed by layers of velvety tannins with chocolate and deep roasted coffee. It ably carries our tradition of producing wines with exceptional power, depth and clarity. While it certainly can be enjoyed now, this wine will gain even more complexity in 2-3 years of
cellaring and will last for decades.

Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon,
11% Cabernet Franc, 4% PetitVerdot, 4% Merlot and 4% Malbec