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Cain Vineyard and Winery

Cain Five

    • Description :

      Vineyard: 100% Cain Vineyard, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
      Cain Five is dense and concentrated without being heavy. The key point is that even though it will easily last another twenty years, you can drink it today. If the Cain Five is utterly unique, distinctive in both aroma and taste, this can only reflect the Cain Vineyard, which gives birth to this wine and is both spectacular and idiosyncratic. Composed of the five classic varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot—Cain Five epitomizes the benefits of blending to achieve a complex wine. It is supple and rich of texture, combining a full, firm structure with a long and subtle finish.

      Grape varieties :

      46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

      Altitude :

      450-675m ASL

      Soil :

      Sedimentary with significant amounts of clay

      Alcohol :

      13.7%

      Tasting notes :

      Focused perfume and satin-smooth mouth-feel. There is the Cain signature of flowers, berries, herbs, tar—all layered on a lovely earthy background. This is an exotic wine, quite unlike a big sweet Napa Cab The wine drinks beautifully in its youth. Round, plump, juicy, savory, and yes, even fruity. This is a very complex wine that will reward a long meal as it develops in the glass. Today, to enjoy this wine in its optimal state, pour it into a carafe or decanter, give it some air and this sleepy giant will come to life!

    • Description :

      Harvest & Varietal Information
      Vineyard: 100% Cain Vineyard, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
      Varieties: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot
      Production: 3,593 (9L) cases
      Release Date: August 1, 2020
      Estate Grown—Estate Bottled
      2016 is a classic Cain Five. Superbly nuanced and articulated, round, sweet, flowing, with just enough mouth-watering acidity and savory grip so that you know this wine, delicious today, promises to have a great future.
      2016 was one of those years, neither too hot nor too cold, where ripening could proceed smoothly and progressively, with no abrupt hot spells to cook the fruit. Harvest in the Cain Vineyard began in mid-September and by mid-October we were done. Rain began falling on the 14th of October. Yes, we really did pick before the rain. The wine shows that the grapes were fully ripe (14.3% alcohol) yet with tremendous subtlety and complexity—just the way we like it. Among the key factors were the relatively low yields of less than two tons per acre and the moderate temperatures that allowed the vines to thrive all summer long. We continue to discover the value not only of farming organically (Cain Vineyard is CCOF) but also of tending the soil carefully, to foster the engagement of the vine roots with their terroir. Too, our friends in biodynamics, and notably our longtime consultant, Philippe Armenier, have taught us the importance of living soil and the harmony of everything living in and around the vineyard.
      The Cain Five tastes like nothing else—not because of us but because of where it grows. The main thing is that we seek to capture the originality of the vineyard and not to cover it up with winemaking style. So, we strive to choose the moment of harvest for each facet of the vineyard: neither too soon, nor too late. We allow the grapes to ferment with their native yeast and we use the barrel not for wood flavor but for a gentle élévage. With patience, if one pays attention and doesn't push too hard, it all comes together.

Press Notes

  • Decanter
    • 2016, 2010
      95 points
    • 2015, 2013
      93 points
    • 2014, 2007, 2006
      94 points
    • 2012
      93 points
    • 2011
      93 points
    • 2008
      93 points
  • James Suckling
    • 2017, 2014, 2008
      96 points
    • 2016, 2012
      97 points
    • 2015, 2013
      95 points
    • 2006
      92 points
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