William Hill Estate Winery Bench Blend Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010 750 ML

Introduction

Massive chocolate, black cherry and cassis flavors mark this Cab, not to mention a liberal quantity of sweet, toasty oak. Although it’s dry, it tastes as sweet as a dessert pastry. Producer Information William Hill Estate is located in the southern part of Napa Valley, right off the region’s iconic Silverado Trail. It makes a wide range of wines though Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are to the fore. The estate sits on 200 acres (80 hectares) of land in the southeast of the valley, on the Silverado Bench at the foor of Atlas Peak. Here a cooling influence from the San Pablo Bay promotes a long growing season. The rocky benchland soils have low fertility and cause the vines to struggle and produce small yields of highly concentrated fruit. They contrast with the rich sandy loams of the valley floor. Vineyard elevations and exposures vary, and some parcels of estate vines lie in more fertile lower areas. Each block is vinified separately. William Hill’s flagship wine, Benchmark, is sourced from the best blocks in the estate vineyards. It is only made in small quantities just over 200 cases a year. It is a blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon. Depending on the vintage, smaller amounts of Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot may also feature.