This wine catches a lot of people off guard. The brambly dark fruits and coarse aroma can be shocking to somebody who expects a conventional super-oaked California Cab. This Cabernet holds almost no oak flavors, instead extolling the virtues of the varietal's fruity side and wide, embracing bouquet. We pay careful attention to the yields of these vines that grow in the low-lying clay soil of the vineyard, always aware that pushing the wine toward these deep flavors will require us to copiously cut back on the plant's growth. In these rich clays, foliage can become harmfully thick, choking the plant out if not for the vintner's constant vigilance and regular passes to deleaf, destem and prune.