The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is aging nicely. The grapes came in at 25 Brix. After 5 months in a new American oak barrel, the wine was racked to an "almost neutral" French oak barrel. The barrel is considered a "2 1/2", meaning that it did not have wine in it for very long during the third use. That will, hopefully, allow some of the French oak characteristics to enhance the wine as it ages in this barrel for the next year. This wine will be ready for bottling in 2009, but will only be for private consumption.
John and Paula plan to make wine each year from purchased Ramona AVA grapes while they are waiting for their own estate grapes to begin producing fruit. In San Diego county, a wine maker must use 25% of the grapes grown on the estate in the wine in order to sell that wine without a major use permit. So, it will be a few years before you see our wines in local restaurants or stores.
However, you will be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor if you visit Hellanback Ranch!
