Winemaker's Notes:

The 2006 vintage started off with a cool spring with several weeks of cloudy skies followed by a dry summer and fall with higher than average temperatures. Because of this the grapes matured rapidly with slower phenolic maturity. It was fundamental to wait a few weeks before harvest to achieve the optimal phenolic levels.

The grapes for our Estate Blend Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot are all hand-picked from Estampa’s estate vineyards, where the first vines were planted in 1997 at a density of 2.700 plants per hectare. The vineyards benefit from deep soils that are sandy and clay-like in nature. All the vines have been trained to vertical shoot positioned trellis and are carefully maintained with drip irrigation. The grapes for the Estampa Estate Blends are handpicked and transported to the winery in 450 kg bins. Once at the winery, the grapes are passed through dual selection tables for a meticulous, manual quality review. 2.200 cases produced.

The wine is a deep, garnet red. The nose clearly highlights the characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon with red currant, raspberries and plums. On the palate, there are notes of raspberry, mocha and a light finish of toasted coffee beans and caramel from the quick pass through Oak barrels. Good balance with solid structure gives this wine personality and strength.