Steven Kent 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Overall rating 
From the Winery
In only one other vintage since our first have we produced anything but a 100% Cabernet wine under our Livermore Valley banner; 2002 marks the second release. In certain vintages we have found that the addition of another varietal adds levels of complexity and completeness to the wine it would not otherwise achieve. After tasting through the various lots made from our Cabernet vineyards, we added Petit Verdot from Livermore to our Cabernet to make a wine of great depth and ageability.
In this vintage, which was cooler than 2001 and produced more fruit-forward wines, each lot was vinified separately. After about 20 months in wood, the separate wines were blended and put back in barrel to "marry" for three months before the wine was bottled. Consistent with our Livermore Valley program, about 90% new French oak and 10% second use barrels were employed. Of this total, about 80% were medium toast barrels and the remainder were medium+ toast.
Tasting Notes
For centuries, the Bordelais have used Petit Verdot in their blends to provide their wines with darker color and more tannin. This wine is a perfect demonstration of how well the two varieties work together. While the 2001 vintage Cabernet had a very dark red color, this vintage is profoundly dark purple with a core verging on the black. In the nose, one detects intense aromas of black plum and cassis fruit, underpinned by a layer of non-fruit aromatics: pencil shavings, wetted earth, créme brulee oakiness, dark chocolate, and subtle lavender perfume.
| Composition | 76% Cabernet Sauvignon 24% Petit Verdot |
| Appellation | Livermore Valley |
| Alcohol | 14.7% |
| Aged for | 20 months each, plus an additional 3 months together after blending |
| Aged in | 90% new French oak and 10% second use barrels |
| Production | 1450 cases |
| Awards | 90 Wine Enthusiast |
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