Rating

The 2003 Jericho Canyon, from a 40-acre parcel of vines at the base of Mount St. Helena, is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. This is David Ramey’s homage to Pauillac. With a big sweet nose of white chocolate, creme de cassis, cedar, spice box, and high-quality smoky oak, it is full-bodied, rich, and tannic with notes of chocolate and espresso in the mouth. This wine also needs several years of cellaring and should last 15-20 years. Ramey kindly did a vertical of his two single-vineyard Chardonnays from the Hyde and Hudson Vineyards, and it was interesting that the Hudson aged quickly and was beginning to fade after 2-3 years, but the Hyde wines, even the oldest one, the 1996, were fresh and superb. David Ramey also has a successful consulting business. His list of clients includes the likes of Benziger, Saracina, Dierburg, Niebaum-Coppola, Lancaster, Audellsa, Landmark, Snowden, Rodney Strong, and Manoogian.  Robert Parker 93 points (Dec 2005) Firm, dark and intense, with a rich, concentrated band of anise, currant, blackberry, mocha and light toasty, cedary oak. Very complex and balanced, with a finish that veers to the understated elements of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2011. 1,700 cases made. –JL Wine Spectator 90 points (May 15 2006)

Wine maker notes

A dramatic and unique location located northeast of Calistoga and close to the Palisades. This is a 40-acre vineyard at the base of Mt. St. Helena. Very steeply terraced, it was planted in 1990 and 1993. The soil is a shallow clay-loam atop white volcanic ash, which provides excellent drainage and limits yields to between 1.4 and 2.7 tons per acre. The 2003 vintage is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.