The 2005 growing season became one of the coolest vintages to date as heavy, constant spring rains and floods delayed the vines’ budding. But warm dry weather persisted throughout the late summer months, with typical heat spikes in July, and the infamous Indian summer helped to fully ripen grapes well into November.

2005 was nothing short of a bloody and brutal harvest, as almost everyone in the industry was short on their crop estimates. The lush growth from the spring rains brought on heavier clusters, ultimately increasing the crop levels throughout all of the North Coast, and forced winemakers to find creative vessels in which to ferment the ballooning tonnage of grapes coming into the wineries.

Overall, the 2005 growing season was most similar to the 1997 and 2007 vintages, where crop levels were fairly high because of the extended cool weather and lengthy rains, but wines with beautiful, plush and concentrated flavors were created – a rare combination of quantity and quality.

The 2005 HL Cabernet Sauvignon shows intense dark color – one of the darkest we’ve ever produced. While initially a little closed on the nose, with aeration the wine unleashes the deep black cherry, currents, coffee, mocha, and black licorice aromas typical of our wines. This vintage also shows a little pencil lead and minerality, with classic current and cassis in the nose.

Although not as concentrated as the 2004 or 2006, on the palate the 2005 vintage has great weight and extraction, and it shows immense length with balanced tannins. As it opens up, the lush red fruits are most evident in the mouth, with a little blueberry spice and a hint of peppermint, licorice and strawberry. With airing, the cassis and current flavors become pronounced, highlighting the abundant mountain fruit so familiar in the HL Vineyard wines. While not overly dense, the 2005 is still plump and juicy with lovely highlights of new French oak.

Winemaker Michael Trujillo suggests that "by the fall of this year, and even as the wine evolves in the glass, the 2005 HL Cabernet Sauvignon should relax and open up a little and the “wow” of this juicy wine will become more apparent. In the palate there is a terrific focus of rich bright fruits and a wonderful structure. On the one hand this wine has lots of depth and is almost muscular, but on the other it is delicate yet lush with loads of bright red fruits. It will be fun to watch it mature in the bottle, and this vintage should be ideal for drinking in 2-5 years."