Cain Vineyard and Winery Spring Mountain, Napa Valley

Set high above St. Helena on top of Spring Mountain, the Cain winery and vineyards enjoy one of the most spectacular settings in the Napa Valley. This rugged site, chosen in 1980 by Jerry and Joyce Cain, was the first Napa estate to grow the five principal Bordeaux varieties. Their dream of producing a red wine that would rival the best in the world has been realized with Cain Five. The June 2007 edition of The Wine News featured Cain in its feature article "The Flowering of Spring Mountain". Contributing Editor Jeff Cox wrote "I have made a pilgrimage here because a bottle of 1990 Cain Five made from Spring Mountain fruit remains the single-most delicious California Meritage I've ever tasted."

Cain Concept 2004 The 2004 Concept emphasizes the lush fruit and supple tannins of grapes grown on the alluvial fans lining the edges of the Napa Valley and the hillsides of Carneros. For Cabernet Sauvignon, these include the famed Rutherford and Oakville districts, the outfalls of York Creek and Conn Creek west of St. Helena and, for Cabernet Franc, the cool climate and sandy soils of Napa's Carneros region. In the heart of the Napa Valley, the deep, well-drained and gravelly soils of the Georges III and the Tokalon vineyards hold the natural vigor of Cabernet Sauvignon in check. Here, the warm days and cool nights of the valley's benchlands bring the full fruit flavours and aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon to full potential. These two highly regarded vineyards comprise the majority of the Concept blend. For Cabernet Franc, they turned to Carneros. The extended hang-time needed to ripen Truchard Vineyards' Cabernet Franc in the cool Carneros region intensifies the colour and varietal character. This wine is an accurate reflection of the vintage, the vineyards, and the Cain style. It is ripe, plummy, rich and dusty, reflecting a long, warm summer in the Oakville and Rutherford districts of the Napa Valley. It also exhibits the restraint, finesse, and exceptional mouthfeel characteristic of the Cain style of winemaking. "You might call this Cain's junior version of their famous Cain Five Bordeaux blend. This one's blended from up and down the valley, and it's exceptionally fine. Dry and smooth, with richly textured tannins, it shows ripe cherries, plums and currants, with a spicy, earthy finish. Best now thru 2013." 91 points, Wine Enthusiast, February 2007

Cain Concept 2000 Library Release The blend of the 2000 is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Georges III Vineyard and Garvey Ranch, 25% Cabernet Franc from Truchard Vineyard in Carneros, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. This wine is produced in a minimalist style, natural fermentation, unfined and unfiltered. "Luscious earth, black licorice, and black cherry flavours, with an impeccable structure and great length." Karen McNeil

Cain Five 2004 2004 is a classic Cain Five-in the mold of the 1991 and 1994 vintages, but more refined. As with all vintages, the 2004 is all about the weather: at bloom and during ripening. In 2004, there was poor bloom in the mountain-top vineyard, resulting in a yield smaller than the normal one and a half tons per acre. The final blend incorporated more Merlot and less Petit Verdot than in some previous years. This was a natural reflection of the gentle, moderate ripening conditions. There was less heat than in the warmest vintages, which in turn, gave good concentration along with deeper and "sweeter" tannins. The 2004 Cain Five epitomizes the character of the Cain Vineyard: freshness and vibrancy are the keys. Aromas of citrus and Douglas-fir overlay the black currant and black cherry of the mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate is juicy, sweet, and mouth-watering. As always, the winemaking team blends to achieve balance and continuity on the palate, followed by a long finish. While this wine drinks beautifully today, but expect the 2004 to age gracefully over the next ten years. There are currently no reviews for the 2004, but the 2003 received the following review: "A classic Bordeaux blend crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Pretty nose of subtle cassis. Concentrated palate coated with rich mountain fruit, including black cherry and bramble berry, pure cassis, tobacco and firm tannins. Cellaring will pay dividends; this tightly wound beauty will open up in 10 to 15 years; it would be a shame to drink it before then." 95 points, The Wine News, June/July 2007

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