The 2018 wine is full of energy and momentum. The nose is pure and dense with red and blue fruit tones, with deep plum and rose oil. The mouth is refined with minerality and earthy notes, with hints of laurel and sage from the vineyards. The wine is silky smooth and well-balanced, with fine tannins that are dense and sparkling. This wine can be enjoyed now or with long aging. Decanting is recommended, as the subtle aromatic nuances and texture of the wine will become even more apparent. The 2018 growing season was a winemaker's dream, with cool temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Spring arrived at the right time, with solid rains that kept the soil moist and set the stage for healthy fruit growth. Cooler temperatures after veraison allowed for longer hang time, preserving lively acidity and adding complexity. Ample rainfall resulted in slightly smaller berry size than average, but more berries per bunch. Estate-wide yields were also good, at 2.4 tons per acre (still well below typical vineyard yields). Harvest began on September 27th, exactly 135 days after flowering, and was completed on October 22nd, without any rushing, as planned, thanks to historic low temperatures in August and September. Continuum is an Estate wine made 100% from grapes grown in the estate's own Sage Mountain Vineyard. The 16-hectare vineyard, located on the Pritchard Hill hills east of Oakville in Napa Valley (you can even see San Francisco Bay on a clear day), features 38 different plots of old vines planted in 1991 and 1996, plus additional plantings in 2004 and 2010. The vineyard is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot, planted on a southwest-facing slope at an altitude of 400-500m. The rocky, volcanic soils allow the vines to focus their energy on producing low-yielding fruit with depth and complexity. Continuum is a true estate wine, grown, vinified and bottled on the estate. The grapes are carefully hand-picked at night and hand-sorted twice, before and after destemming. The wine is then gravity transferred to French oak barrels and concrete tanks for fermentation. After a 3-day cold soak, the wine is pumped over 3-4 times daily, with 2-3 delestages in total during the peak of fermentation. Skin contact is limited to 100%.
The aging period lasts for 20-40 days, after which the wine is pressed in a basket press and transferred to French oak barrels (63% new, 35% used for 1 year) and concrete amphorae with the lees for 22 months of aging. All lots are aged separately and carefully blended after repeated tasting. The wine is slowly settled over time in a low-temperature aging cellar and bottled unfiltered and unclarified. Continuum Estate was founded in 2005 by Tim Mondavi, who served as winemaker at Robert Mondavi Winery for 20 years, his sister Marcia, and their father, the late Robert Mondavi. The only red wine made from their own vineyards in Pritchard Hill, a mountain that stretches deep into the winding mountain roads east of Napa Valley, is a wine of passion born with deep respect for the 100-year history of the Mondavi family. The label features a silhouette of a Cabernet Franc vine created by Tim Mondavi's second daughter, Chiara Mondavi. Continuum is derived from the Latin "continuus" meaning "continuation, succession." The winery is located on Pritchard Hill above Lake Hennessey on the east side of Napa Valley. The views from the 172 acres are spectacular. It is the perfect site for rich, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verde and Merlot. The low vitality red volcanic and argillaceous soils intermingled with andesite boulders make for a spectacular hillside vineyard. The vineyard has two soil types: Rock-Hambright Loam (85%) and Sobrante Loam (15%). The area receives 550-700mm of rainfall annually and has a fairly mild climate for Napa, with occasional cold winter winds but few summer days with temperatures above 100°F. In July and August, daytime highs are about 30°C and nighttime lows are about 9°C. The vineyard is at an elevation of 410-490m, facing southwest to west with a 5-20% slope. Currently, 41 acres of vines are planted for wine production. The remaining 20.5 acres will be planted in 2010, eventually bringing the total planted area to 60 acres. The best grapes currently being harvested are Cabernet Clone 7, planted in 1991-1992. The vineyard is planted with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot. The vineyard is organically grown, but not certified. The rootstocks, ridge direction, and vine training are determined based on the soil and slope of the soil to produce a unique wine that reflects this wonderful land. The long growing season at high altitude, stable temperatures without frost, and low-vital, mineral-rich, stony soils are the best conditions for producing Continuum, a single-vineyard red wine that rivals the world's best wines. Continuum uses a variety of winemaking techniques, including manual punchdown as in Burgundy, automatic pumpover, lees stirring, and batonnage as in Bordeaux, and maceration for up to 40 days before aging in French oak. In 2013, the winery, designed by architect Howard Backen, was completed and Continuum is now a 100% estate wine made from grapes from Pritchard Hill's own vineyards and bottled on the same property.