July 6, 2013 – Wine: 2005 Saint Clement Oroppas

This wine embodies the delicious red fruits of its vintage while avoiding the unbalanced minerality that developed in so many other Cabernets from the 2005 vintage.  2005 was heralded as a terrific vintage for Napa Valley, both in quality and in quantity.  2005 was also the first vintage for the new winemaker at Saint Clement.  Having studied under the departing winemaker, Danielle Cyrot endeavored to carry on the signature style of the Oroppas wine.  I recall tasting this when it was young and recognizing its potential (and its need to be cellared a short while).  At one point I thought that I had lost two of my bottles of this wine, but found them a couple of years later while exploring the special wooden box buried beneath several other cases of wine in my basement.  Tonight I opened one and was delighted with how this wine has evolved.  Smooth, lightly textured, and beautifully fruited with notes of raspberry, cranberry, dark chocolate, red currant, and subtle minerals.  While not the powerhouse that the 2001 and 2002 developed into, this wine makes up for that in its near elegance and clean fruit.

2005 St. Clement Oroppas