From the winery:

1997 DOMINUS Napa Valley

Napanook Vineyard, Yountville, California

TASTING NOTES

The 1997 Vintage has a deep ruby color and aromas of very ripe black currant, spices and mineral overtones. It exhibits power and elegance and finishes with substantial but silky rich tannins. A luscious and dense wine, it is delicious to drink now with a great aging potential.

The 1997 blend includes 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Merlot. The balance between the three varietals was excellent and no Petit Verdot was added to the blend.

As with all Dominus wines, we recommend decanting this wine prior to serving to allow it to develop its full potential

VINTAGE SUMMARY

Substantial rains fell in December and January and were followed by a very dry spring. As the dry weather continued, the bloom started very early in mid-April and was relatively short. This would later make for uniformity of ripeness. By summer it was evident that the harvest would be large and that severe crop thinning was necessary. The favorable weather continued during the summer, which helped the maturation and improved the flavors of the Cabernets and Merlots. At the time of the harvest, the grapes were perfectly matured with refined tannins and a high concentration of flavors.

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 87%, Cabernet Franc 9%, Merlot 4%

Harvest Start: September 4

Harvest End: September 26

Bottling Date: July 1999

New Barrels: 33%

Release Date: April 2000