“Tychson Hill”

Tasting Notes

The 2018 "Tychson Hill" is deeply colored and laden with vibrant aromatics. Black and red fruits coalesce with its intense floral perfume. Cassis and black cherry are lifted with bright notes of hibiscus and blood orange. Silky, unctuous tannins glide across the palate with a velvety mouthfeel. A voluminous, floating texture gives the sensation of fullness and polish.

Climatic Conditions

The 2018 growing season in Napa Valley will be remembered for its mild weather throughout the year. The dormant season of winter, however, began with an unusually dry spell. Half of the rain we received did not arrive until after March 1st. A modest 20 inches in total, slightly below our average. By mid-April, the rains ceased and a contented season in the vineyard unfolded. Perhaps the biggest challenge to the entire season was the burgeoning grasses on the vineyard floor, a sign of the healthy soils.

Weather in May was cool, giving us moderate growth of the vines. A few sprinkles of rain occurred at the tail end, causing some flowers to shatter during bloom, resulting in looser clusters at harvest. Temperatures for the remainder of the season were incredibly mild. Much like 2013 and 2016, there was only 1 day over 100 degrees at the IX Estate for the entire year. The first fruit was harvested the last week in September and was followed by a rain event in the first days of October. Drying winds coupled with our timely removal of leaves enhanced airflow around the clusters. After a one week pause, we began harvesting once again the second week of October. The photogenic clusters harvested in 2018 had dark blue plump berries rich in flavor.

The wines of this vintage are classic and pure, with a spectrum of flavor and are aromatically pixelated. They exhibit an intellectual character which displays distinct moods with time in the glass. Counter to some vintages, the 2018s transform from savory aromatics into deeply fruity aromatics rather than vice versa. As they open, their well-defined, firm tannins evolve into a very full, velvety texture.

Tasting Notes

The pure expression of fruit and mineral in the 2016 “Tychson Hill” shows the energy of the vintage. The ideal growing season of 2016 imparts into the wine an innate delicacy and opulence. Brimming with black cherry, plum, and black currant, the 2016 vintage exudes the classic flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon. Compelling notes of cobblestones and graphite meld with a graceful lift of talc and floral. A harmonious texture of seamless tannins builds in breadth and layers as the wine glides across the palate.

Climatic Conditions

The winter of 2016 began with steady rainfall, bringing small doses over the entire winter and ending with a very rainy beginning of March. Following a sequence of drought vintages beginning in 2012, the wet winter brought a final reprieve from dry conditions. Budbreak arrived shortly thereafter as vines began a season that restored balance to vine and soil health. Steady shoot growth followed in April, and warm weather took hold in May during the blooming period. This healthy start to the season was a blessing, but the incredible weather that followed in the summer and fall would become the story of the vintage. We began harvest under foggy conditions in the middle of September. The mild nature of the remainder of the season would serve to retain flavor nuances and accumulate heightened amounts of color in the grape skins. Fruit condition over the entirety of harvest was impeccable. Supple skinned berries bursting with flavor and color extracted to form wines of freshness and vibrancy with an intensely harmonious palate. The wines of the 2016 vintage are thrilling and multifaceted- every nuance of delectable fruit is matched by vivid notes of each distinctive terroir.

Tasting Notes

The 2014 “Tychson Hill” demonstrates the freshness of the vintage with its layers of floral scents such as roses, wildflowers, jasmine, and violets. This wine shows great precision with notes of blackberry and dark cherry balanced with a fresh acidity on the palate. Graphite and a strong sense of mineral add poise to this exuberant and flavorful vintage. The polished tannins are lush and decadent with intensely vibrant flavors that carry to a long finish.

Climatic Conditions

The wines of 2014 have an immense sense of purity. The mild weather of the 2014 season produced wines with a sophistication that beautifully balances elegance with true power. The superbly delineated flavors are both fresh and fully ripe. A harmonious quality is apparent in the suave texture of these wines. The 2014 vintage seductively draws you in, then piques your curiosity, and keeps you returning repeatedly for more. Following the unseasonably dry 2013 vintage, 2014 began with one of the driest Januarys in recent history. It was not until February that we received the bulk of our wet weather. Despite all the references to a drought, perhaps what made an even bigger imprint on the 2014 season was the warmth we experienced throughout the winter. As both factors combined, we began one of the earliest growing seasons since 2005. As spring and summer unfolded, we saw marginally warmer temperatures all year long, yet we experienced very few heat waves. The vines set a beautiful crop, and it was no surprise that 2014 led to one of our earliest harvests, beginning on August 29. Berries were plump and fresh as they were harvested. As the wines evolved in the cellar, we observed how their flavors spanned a broad spectrum—from powerful, dark fruits, to classic and subtle Napa Valley herbal and earth notes, reminiscent of an earlier era. With their silky textures developing over the course of the fermentation, we extracted the wines using longer, slower macerations, adding to their nuance and length. 2014 stands apart from its predecessors in that it captures the supple, dense qualities of a warm vintage, married with the perfumed characteristics of a cooler vintage. Such qualities harken back to exemplary vintages like 2005, and even further back to the age-worthy 1995.

Tasting Notes

The purity of flavor and the complexity of this historic site shine through in the 2012 "Tychson Hill." This seductively delicious wine portrays the fragrance and the seamless texture that is exceedingly consistent to "Tychson Hill." Because of the textbook growing season, the 2012 “Tychson Hill” possesses a dark red fruit profile, expressing forward aromas of ripe black cherry and rich red raspberry. The seamlessness and elegance of this notable site are underscored by more power in 2012.

The intensity of these flavors gives the sense of a perfectly ripe fruit picked just at its peak. Even more, an exotic and fragrant blend of floral blossom, vanilla and dark cocoa add layers of depth to the nose. The 2012 saturates the palate upon entry with its suave and graceful texture. As these plump tannins evolve, they gain succulence and density, possessing a savory quality of umami. A cobblestone mineral note persists to the finish.

Climatic Conditions

The 2012 season was classic in nature, as it was quite temperate and long. The season began with moderate rainfall, much of which fell during early March. Budbreak began the first week of April, and a few, small rain events occurred, helping to nurture the soil. By mid-May, we began a steady cycle of gorgeous weather. Great weather at bloom is a significant bellwether for many great vintages. The climatic conditions were so ideal that the vines set quite a healthy crop. As summer evolved, we began meticulously removing excess fruit to ensure the highest level of quality. A textbook August and September followed, with few heat events. Harvest commenced in mid-September and continued steadily for the next month. The wines were crafted with a keen sense of preserving freshness and capturing the distinct flavors and textures of this sensational vintage. The resulting wines are incredibly appealing as they contain exceptional intensity and a lovely, seductive opulence.

Tasting Notes

The 2010 “Tychson Hill” is seductive and elegant. The nose is initially filled with scents of black cherry liqueur and dark chocolate. These aromatics are tempered by mineral notes of graphite and talc, which come from the cobble-stone soil. The texture of the wine is silky and layered with the classic seamlessness from this historic vineyard. The long-growing season of 2010 elevates the aromatics to new heights while maintaining the purity for which “Tychson Hill” is known. Those who cellar the 2010 “Tychson Hill” will be greatly rewarded over the next twenty years.

Climatic Conditions

The 2010 growing season in Napa Valley was cooler in nature. The season started off about 10 days behind average due to cooler temperatures and periods of rainfall in April and May. Because of the late spring, the vines grew rapidly in May and June, making it imperative to work efficiently on the vine canopies to taper off the growth and bring balance to the vine. Mother nature brought her own balance to the vine as well by creating less crop. The summer brought moderate temperatures until August, when we experienced many days with dense, foggy mornings. The heat returned in late August and the season began to catch up. We were incredibly blessed to receive sunny, warm weather into September and October. Because of the cooler weather and later harvest, the grapes were harvested with wonderful levels of acidity and vividly preserved flavors. In the 2010 vintage, the longer maturation resulted in wines with rich tannins and excellent structure.

Tasting Notes

The 2008 “Tychson Hill” is elegant with aromatics of purple fruits, black cherries, honeysuckle, and cardamom. Underneath this intoxicating bouquet, the wine hints at darker brooding notes of chocolate malt and graphite. The texture is incredibly pleasing with a silky palate and complementary tannin. The elegance of 2008 “Tychson Hill” will continue to persist with age.

Climatic Conditions

The 2008 vintage was shaped by the La Niña weather pattern. We experienced just 60% of our average rainfall in the Napa Valley, where most of that rain came in the wintertime, and tapered off in mid-March. Because of the dry spring, the dry soils prompted the vines to push their growth earlier than usual. This would set the stage for the remainder of the season. With a dry spring, the vines naturally produced less fruit than average during bloom in May. Several heat events in the summer sped up the season but also helped to bring uniformity to the ripeness of the fruit, causing the berries to change color simultaneously. A heat wave at the beginning of September started the harvest off fast and furiously with Merlot and Syrah. Soon, the weather cooled off, allowing the Cabernet to ripen slowly, and be picked at the end of September. Crops were quite tiny, but the results are wines with great structure and concentration.

Tasting Notes

The 2006 “Tychson Hill” is a wonderfully aromatic wine, with aromas of honeysuckle and berries leading into darker notes of smoke and wet stone. On the palate the wine is deliciously round and plush with a structural finesse. The 2006 “Tychson Hill” will age gracefully.

Climatic Conditions

The 2006 vintage began a bit slower than the average year. With a wetter winter, soils took longer to dry out, and vines began to wake up in April, several weeks later than usual. By early June, vines were making up time thanks to a beautifully moderate spring. A heat wave in July helped signal to the vines that summer had arrived, telling them to slow their growth, and begin the focus on ripening their fruit. A beautiful summer followed, and warmer temperatures in October helped to develop intense color and ripe, soft tannins. The wines of the 2006 vintage are all defined by their bright aromatics, fresh acidities, and great balance.

Tasting Notes

The 2004 “Tychson Hill” showcases aromas that span an entire spectrum of flavor. The ruby colored wine begins with fragrant notes of sweet, floral cassis and pomegranate that soon lead into secondary aromas of smoke, crushed rock, soy, and saline air. The wine is replete with silky tannins and a fresh level of acidity.

Climatic Conditions

The 2004 vintage will be remembered for its early growing season. Warm yet even summer weather was bracketed by an early spring bud break and several, late summer heat events, creating conditions that allowed for one of the earliest harvests in nearly a decade. The fruit bears the imprint of that early spring, and a slow and steady maturation, which concluded with a fast, hot finish, resulting in wines with impeccable intensity.

Tasting Notes

The 2002 “Tychson Hill” was not only the third vintage from this historic vineyard, but it was also the first harvest at the new Colgin Cellars winery. The soils of mostly rock and shallow gravel are revealed in Tychson Hill’s plethora of aromatics. The color of “Tychson Hill” is deep red, and the wine is vibrant and complex with notes of red fruits, earth, and exotic spices such as tamarind. The tannins are ripe and silky on the palate, and are matched by a strong structure.

Climatic Conditions

The 2002 vintage will be remembered by a lengthy and mild growing season, followed by warm weather near the end of September that encouraged ripening and condensed the harvest. An early April frost and May rains gave way to a moderate summer with ideal growing conditions—warm days and cool, or even cold nights. Overall, the crop was balanced, showing vibrant, intense colors, and flavor concentration.

Tasting Notes

The 2000 “Tychson Hill” marks the first vintage of estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon released by Colgin Cellars from this historic two and one-half acre vineyard. “Tychson Hill” possesses uplifting aromas of fresh berries and minerals with a soft, integrated tannin structure. The 2000 “Tychson Hill” Cabernet Sauvignon possesses power and elegance with aromatics of lavender, cassis, and graphite, and a flavor profile of black fruits with a sweet earthiness. Beautifully balanced, the wine is approachable at an early age and will age gracefully.

Climatic Conditions

The 21st Century in the Napa Valley began with an idyllic vintage. A spring and summer free from climatic challenges yielded fruit of exceptional quality. The 2000 vintage was defined by a cool, even growing season throughout, except for a three-day stretch of unusually high temperatures in June. The threat of rain loomed in late August, but the vineyards were spared. Harvest began in mid-September and carried through the third week of October. The wines of the 2000 vintage carry tremendous balance and complexity.