Summer 2009

Dear Friend of Plumpjack and CADE Winery,

Warm and sunny greetings from CADE Winery up on Howell Mountain and PlumpJack Winery in Oakville. As I write to you, Napa Valley is having a typical summer with patterns of cool fog-laden nights and long, warm days... perfect for ripening this year’s crop. CADE was completed this past April after nearly three years of construction and we are quite proud. The spectacular eco-estate sits on 54 acres overlooking Napa Valley, a perfect setting for enjoying CADE’s new releases. We are open for tastings from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily and tours that include a food and wine pairing Thursday through Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., lead by our CADE Estate Chef Kent Nielsen, both by appointment.

CADE is green... very green! Organically farmed and tracking to be Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified by this fall, CADE will be the greenest winery in the state of California... not an easy feat. The winery is solar powered and constructed of glass, recycled steel and concrete, with a mix of fly ash from coal fired power plants. CADE was designed by local architect Carlos Fernandez who was given the challenge to design an environmentally friendly winery. Charged with making a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, PlumpJack and CADE's winemaker, Anthony Biagi, delivered the Howell Mountain Estate Vineyard Cabernet and the result was beyond PlumpJack's wildest dreams. For those of you who receive this letter via the Internet, I encourage you to visit our web site www.cadewinery.com and view our latest images.

Now on to our 2009 summer releases from PlumpJack and CADE: 2008 CADE Sauvignon Blanc, 2007 cade Napa Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 PlumpJack Reserve Chardonnay (both screw cap and cork finished), 2007 PlumpJack Syrah, 2007 PlumpJack Merlot and 2006 PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2008 CADE Sauvignon Blanc ($26.00) marks the third release of Sauvignon Blanc from CADE. We work with 10 small growers (8 for Sauvignon Blanc, 2 for Semillon) located from the Oak Knoll appellation to Rutherford just north of PlumpJack in Oakville. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are traditionally the first grapes to ripen each year and the 2008 harvest held true. The first load of grapes arrived early on August 30th with the last arriving on September 15th. Fermented in stainless steel drums and tanks, French Chateau barrels and concrete “egg -shaped” fermenters, our goal was to craft a wine which is bright and floral incorporating a rich midpalate and a long, lingering finish. The 2008 CADE Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect wine for those long hot summer evenings.

Second from CADE Winery is the 2006 CADE Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($68.00). We aim to work with like-minded artisan growers who are fanatics about growing low yielding clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, and whose utmost goal is quality. We have found seven artisan growers in the Howell Mountain appellation to assist our wine production. The 2006 CADE Howell Mountain, a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot is a truly powerful wine and a true representation of the Howell Mountain appellation. Aromas of baked plums, cassis, black olive and smoke jump from the glass. Secondary aromas of soy, vanilla black cherry and cola nut come forward with aeration. On the palate, dense flavors of black cherry, coca powder, black olive and sage are followed with a dense wall of tannins that will allow this wine to age gracefully for the next 5-10 years. Please decant for at least an hour prior to enjoying this blockbuster wine.

The first red release from the great 2007 vintage is the 2007 cade Napa Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon ($60.00). Cuvee, a French term for “blend” describes this wine, and is a blend of the following vineyards: To-Kalon in Oakville, Dr. Crane in St. Helena and Kenefick Ranch in Calistoga to name a few, as well as Bordeaux varietals (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc). Quoted by wine critic Robert M Parker, Jr. “. . . This 3000 case offering displays a dense, opaque ruby/ purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of blue and blackberries, crushed rocks, acacia flowers, and a hint of oak in the background. Medium to full-bodied with good ripeness, sweet, melted tannins, and a long finish, it should drink well for 12-15+ years. 91-93 points” Since Mr. Parker’s review last fall the wine has really come together and gained an added richness and weight on the mid-palate.

For collectors out there, we feel the 2007 vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah is truly exceptional. For those of you with patience, I advise you to lay a case or two away for a decade or more.

From PlumpJack Winery in Oakville is the 2008 PlumpJack Reserve Chardonnay ($46.00). This, our twelfth release, has been made in a style that emphasizes and respects the flavor of the terroir from the vineyards. These grapes are sourced, by Garvey Ranch in Rutherford and a small amount of Chardonnay from the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Winemaker Anthony Biagi thinks the 2008 vintage continues to deliver flavors in a similar profile of vintages past but with a hint of more richness marked by the vintage. In the glass, primary flavors of baked apple, Bartlett pear, and banana give way to flavors of pineapple, guava, apple cobbler and cinnamon spice cake. In its youth, this wine posses striking acidity and after a year or two of bottle aging you can expect the toasty rich butterscotch flavors to reveal themselves. Early this past spring we received a thank you note from the White House informing us the President had served the PlumpJack Reserve Chardonnay at both a lunch and dinner! As you can imagine we were flattered and honored.

For those select Syrah fans the 2007 PlumpJack Syrah ($42.00) will deliver a wine that could be our best Syrah to date. The 2007 vintage Syrah is the smallest in terms of production of all PlumpJack and CADE wines, so availability is limited. We are fortunate to source fruit from the Stagecoach Vineyard high above Oakville and Lee Hudson’s amazing vineyard in the southern most appellation of Napa Valley, the Carneros District. Winemaking is critical to allowing the subtle nuance of each vineyard to be showcased and ultimately create a synergy in the final blend. Robert M Parker, Jr. writes: “2007 PlumpJack Syrah which also utilizes 35% whole cluster during fermentation, is not yet displaying the bacon fat and lard nuances, but it possesses a deeper, fuller-bodied mouth feel, a more extracted, richer fruit character, and sensational blackberry, lavender, and charcoal notes. This should turn out to be a brilliant Syrah to drink during its first decade of life.” 93-95 points.

The 2007 PlumpJack Merlot ($50.00) had a challenge to follow- up on our 2006 vintage. In late 2005 our Merlot grower in Rutherford, for the past decade, felt it was time to replant his vineyard. Understandable of course, but the shock was that he was not going to replant to Merlot but Sauvignon Blanc, so we were able to secure Merlot from the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, known for its Merlot. In last year’s Fall 2008 Newsletter, we stated the 2006 vintage was our best ever but we are now passing the torch to the 2007 PlumpJack Merlot. Winemaker Anthony Biagi thinks the 2007 PlumpJack Merlot is a wonderful snapshot of a legendary (2007) vintage. Classic aromas of ripe plums, black cherry, ripe currants and chocolate jump from the glass. Rich and vibrant flavors of blackberry, soy, dark chocolate and vanilla coat the palate. This wine is a true pleasure to drink now but will reward cellaring of five to six years if you can keep your hands off it! Enjoy.

Our last release this summer, the 2006 PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, is offered at $400.00 for two 750 ml bottles. One bottle is finished with a screw cap and one is cork finished. They are presented together in a custom-crafted wooden box. This wine is also offered at $1,200.00 for six 750 ml bottles, three with screw caps and three with cork finishes, also presented in a custom- crafted wooden box. Produced from select lots within our estate property, production is limited to only 530 cases. Robert M parker, Jr. awarded the 2006 PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 94 points noting in his review "... a brilliant, but backward cuvee. Deeper, fuller-bodied, and even more stacked and packed than the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. It reveals graphite, blueberry, blackberry and cassis notes in its rich full, tannic, pure personality. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025." Due to the small production, availability is very limited.

The Tenth Annual PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Release Celebration:

PlumpJack Winery will host our Tenth Annual PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Release Celebration on Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. This event is exclusively for our mailing list customers. During the celebration, one-of-a kind, large format (1.5L, 3.0L and 6.0L) bottles will be available for purchase. Winemaker Anthony Biagi will be on-hand to sign bottles and answer questions. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Josh Zanow at 707-945-1220 ext. 13 or click here. Due to our small size, reservations will be limited to the first 100 guests.

As with past vintages, CADE and PlumpJack wines are extremely limited. We encourage you to return your order form as soon as possible since all orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

I wish to thank you for your on going support of CADE and PlumpJack. Should your travels bring you to the Napa Valley, please stop by for a visit.

Warm Regards,

John Conover
General Manager / Partner