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Flying Cloud is produced at Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. For winemaker Stephen Ross Dooley the variety Cabernet Sauvignon invokes fond memories of his first decade of producing wine in the Napa Valley at Louis M. Martini winery in the early eighties. Stylistically, the wine is hearty and balanced with pleasing aromas and flavors characteristic of the variety, with a sense of place or terroir and has supple fine tannins.
The 2021 vintage came on the heels of a continued drought in California. We saw a decent amount of pre-season rainfall in Paso Robles this year. However, most of the precipitation arrived during a single storm event, causing runoff that prevented much of that lower rainfall total. Yields came in around average, with fruit showing more structure and higher tannin levels than typical. We experienced mild temperatures through harvest in September and October, which opened the stretch of time picking at optimal maturity. This was a late harvest with long hang time yielding wines with concentrated flavors.
This Cabernet Sauvignon was made using classic Bordeaux methods of production; the grapes were de-stemmed and crushed into small stainless steel tanks, pumped-over daily during the peak of fermentation, four weeks of skin contact, free run then lightly pressed with a state-of-the-art stainless steel basket press, and aged in neutral French oak barrels for seventeen months.
The wine is deeply colored with dark ruby-purple hues. Pretty aromas of blackberry, mulberry, bittersweet chocolate, clove and coyote mint. This is a rich, robust mouth-filling wine, expansive on the palate with polish tannins. Powerful,structured, elegant balance, a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon.
96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Zinfandel from Jack Knife Vineyard. 2% Petite Sirah from the Blind Faith Vineyard. Both vineyards are Certified Organic.
