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The 1998 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ripened late with a good crop. We had very cold, rainy weather throughout the early to middle growing season that set us up for a late vintage. There was virtually no spring; it just went from winter to summer, but not until July! Happily it ended up very well, even great, with miraculous ripening weather all of October. The Cabernet Sauvignon we saw was literally perfect - it doesn't get any better - with great flavors, ripeness and very good chemistry. The berry size was relatively normal, textbook fruit. We see the intensity of the vintage being very classic Cabernet Sauvignon; extremely well proportioned in weight and acid-tannin balance. Fermentation was clean and strong and the maceration range was generally 8 to 11 days. The skin to juice ratio was high so extraction was very good - many tanks were black by day two. It was an excellent vintage for all of our Cabernet vineyards
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