The Art
Kenwood Vineyards’ eighteenth Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon features “Clown,” a painting by renowned author Henry Miller.

Henry Miller was one of this century’s most influential writers. Born in Brooklyn in 1891, Miller became famous in the 1930s for the brilliant novels he wrote about his controversial lifestyle in Paris, such as “Tropic of Cancer” and “Nexus.” Miller created “Clown” in 1973, explaining, “The clown appeals to me deeply, though I did not always know it, precisely because he is separated from the world by laughter.”

The Wine
The grapes selected for the 1992 Artist Series came from the Lindholm and Montecillo Vineyards. Both vineyards are located at an elevation of about 1,400 feet on the Mayacamas mountain range, bordering the eastern side of Sonoma Valley. Both vineyards are low-yielding, producing less than three tons per acre of intensely flavored fruit.

The 1992 growing season was long and cool, and the grapes for this wine were harvested in late October. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the lots were fermented separately in small French oak barrels for 30 months. Cabernet Franc and Merlot were then added in the final blend to soften and further enhance the wine. In a departure from previous Artist Series wines, Kenwood aged this wine an additional year in the bottle before being released to the market in the fall of 1996. This Cabernet will continue to improve in the bottle for a number of years, and winemaker Mike Lee recommends drinking it between the years 2000 and 2005.

Composition: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc
Aging: 30 months in French oak and 18 months in the bottle
Alcohol: 13.5%