Jericho Canyon · Calistoga
Cabernet Sauvignon
A vintage shaped by patience and re-evaluation. After traditional oak, B1 and B2 moved to Modern Cooperage stainless without additional wood, where the fruit stayed forward while the finish continued to develop.
Wine highlights
01 / Progress
The wine,
step by step.
- Élevage12 months
Traditional oak establishes the frame
The wine completed its first year with wood influence before the next stage moved into a more controllable stainless environment.
- Stainless2 barrels
B1 and B2 continue without oak
Both lots aged in 75-gallon Modern Cooperage stainless barrels without additional oak. Fruit remained attractive while the finish and integration lagged.
- Outside tastingPositive
A family resemblance to 2022
The Modern Cooperage owner and winemaker called the 2022 beautiful and found the 2024 tight but developing, with clear similarities between the wines.
- Bâtonnage3× / week
Membrane on, stir three times weekly
The membrane stayed in place and the wine was stirred three times per week for four weeks to encourage integration and texture before adding more oak.
- Monitoring58°F
Taste weekly and watch the chemistry
The trial followed aromatic openness, mid-palate weight, tannin feel, finish length, fruit clarity, and free SO₂ in a 58°F cellar.
- Bench blend+5%
A five-percent lift wins the panel
Twelve tasters preferred B1 and B2 with 3% of 2025 B3 and 2% of 2025 B4—a small adjustment that improved the wine without becoming a heavy correction.
- ConfirmationNo rush
Keep every lot separate and repeat
The component wines remain in their own barrels for two more months. The winning blend will be repeated before any final decision.
02 / Tasting record · Modern Cooperage and panel tastings
“Tight and developing, with fruit worth protecting.”
The current direction favors controlled development and a precise five-percent structural lift rather than a large oak or blending correction.
Wine profile
- Fruit
- Forward and intact
- Structure
- Tight · developing
- Need
- Finish and integration
03 / Notes
What stays
in the record.
The question this wine asked
What does a sound, fruit-forward wine need when the finish is not yet complete: more wood, more time, or a small structural addition?
The response became a sequence rather than a guess. First came a controlled month of membrane-assisted bâtonnage. Then came a group bench trial. The current answer is a measured 3% of 2025 B3 and 2% of 2025 B4.
The monitoring method
- Keep the Modern Cooperage membrane installed.
- Stir consistently three times per week.
- Taste weekly for aromatics, mid-palate, tannin, finish, and fruit clarity.
- Check free SO₂ at the beginning, midpoint, and end.
- Reassess before adding any new oak.
What it is teaching
Corrective additions should follow a controlled trial. The wine’s forward fruit is an asset; the cellar’s job is to build missing length without covering it.