The 2007 vintage is an excellent year that came together in the end to produce a sizeable crop of uniformly great wines throughout the state. The wines have plenty of depth and richness, ample acidity, and are focused and detailed. Many compare it to 2001 in style and it’s a vintage to buy with confidence across the board.

A dry winter was followed by a warm, dry spring, bringing an early start to the ripening cycle. Fine weather prevailed through the moderate to coolish summer with notably few days of triple-digit temperatures, and even fewer-than-average days around 90°F. Chardonnay harvest began a bit early, as warm weather arrived in Napa in mid-August and lasted through early September before cooling significantly. Rain fell mid-month but with little impact, as many early ripeners were already in — Cabernets and Merlot weren’t affected and had plenty of time to rebalance afterwards. Rain returned in the second week of October, but again with little impact. Warm, sunny conditions returned right after the rain, and harvest was concluded in excellent weather by the end of the month.

2007 produced a healthy crop of grapes that, as in so many great years, enjoyed a moderate growing season free of extremes. It is a big, ripe, full-bodied vintage that produced classic California Cabs and has buyers and sellers smiling — one to buy with confidence!