2004 Hundred Acre Cabernet Sauvignon Fortification

Pale to medium tawny colored, the 2004 Fortification offers up tantalizing cinnamon stick, cloves and allspice scents over a core of crème de cassis, prunes and raspberry pie with touches of bacon fat, wood smoke and garrigue plus a waft of dried figs. Full-bodied, rich and decadently spicy, the palate is packed with dried fruit and baking spice layers with its sweetness well laced with freshness, finishing with epic length and a wonderfully plush texture.

(a port made from Kayli Morgan vineyard cabernet sauvignon) Full red-ruby. Expressive, slightly high-toned aromas of blackberry, plum, saddle leather, nuts, minerals and graphite, plus a mellow balsamic quality. Supersweet and lush, with just enough volatile acidity to give lift to the thick flavors of cassis and nuts. A very complex port that seems more tawny than ruby in style. The high-toned finish features lush tannins and impressive complexity. Jayson Woodbridge describes this as the first true single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon port ever made: the equivalent of 2,000 cases of cabernet were double-distilled down to less than 200 in an alambic pot still, then went into used Hundred Acre barrels for extended aging.

The 2004 Hundred Acre Port, made from the same vineyard, is a candidate for the finest fortified wine ever made in California. It is that special. Dense purple with gorgeous roasted coffee, chocolate, and blackcurrant aromas as well as a hint of scorched earth, it is unctuously textured, but possesses spectacular balance and precision. This is a tour de force in winemaking. Expect it to drink well for 15-20 or more years. It’s an astonishing effort! Hundred Acre has been a perennial super-performer since the first vintage, the 2000, which I tasted with proprietor Jayson Woodbridge and winemaker Philippe Melka, and am happy to report is drinking beautifully at present. Not yet released. Tel. (707) 967-9398; Fax (707) 968-9658