ABOUT THIS WINE
CASK 23, made only in exceptional vintages, is usually a blend of the
most distinctive fruit from our S.L.V. and FAY estate vineyards. The
story of CASK 23 began during the harvest of 1974. Back then, winery
founder Warren Winiarski enlisted the help of celebrated winemaker
André Tchelistcheff. As they tasted through various lots of new wines
from that year, they noticed a distinct character in a lot from the center
of Block 4, a character they described as “crushed violets”. It was so appealing that they decided to age this wine separately in a wooden
cask, number 23. The wine was still so deliciously distinct after further
aging in barrel, Warren decided to bottle it separately and give it a
special name—CASK 23.
TASTING NOTES
Still in its youth, this wine reveals extraordinary depth and finesse
beginning with rich cassis and blackberry aromas that are warmly
blanketed in notes of toffee and vanilla. Savory aromas of rosemary,
truffles, and cocoa powder reward those who linger over the bouquet.
Take a sip, and discover a core of dark berry, cassis, and cherry fruit
flavors amid notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, and espresso. Silky,
supple tannins carry this wine into a long, fruity and gratifying finish.
Enjoy it with a prime rib roast with Cabernet jus or with venison
chops with blackberry compote.
VINEYARDS AND WINEMAKING
Much of S.L.V. has been replanted, but the vines in Block 4 from the
original planting in 1972 still stand, and they continue to produce
fruit of exquisite character. Over the years, we’ve identified other
blocks and sub-blocks of our estate vineyards that consistently yield
fruit of exceptional quality, but the choice of which grapes go into
CASK 23 is far from automatic. We pick and vinify in small lots, then
carefully monitor each lot’s development to determine which ones
live up to their full potential.
The fruit from S.L.V., with its volcanic soils, contribute complex
structure, concentration, and spicy intensity, while the alluvial soils of
FAY yield fruit with lush perfume and rich berry flavors. When
blended together, the intense “fire”-like qualities of S.L.V. and the
supple, “water”-like characteristics of FAY create a wine of classic
elegance, structure, and age-ability.
VINTAGE
The 2004 vintage was a good year in terms of climate, crop level, and
potential wine quality. The vines broke dormancy early, with bud break
coming in late February, approximately 15 days early. A warm, dry
spring followed, marked by some record high temperatures in March
which set the stage for an early harvest. However, summer ensued
with cool, foggy mornings and warm, mild afternoons which allowed
sugar levels, flavors, and acidity to come into balance. |
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RETAIL PRICE
$175
per bottle
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