Palate
firm supple tannins, good natural
acidity and concentrated flavors. Overtones of black cherry, currant and blackberry in
combination with undertones of chocolate, coffee and pepper meld with the vanilla and
cedar nuances of French oak in waves of complexity. On the palate the wine is deep and
brooding, with great structure and depth of flavor. The wine has concentrated yet supple
tannins, good fruit and acidity and a persistent finish, contributing to a finely balanced
wine consistent with the classic
Winemaking
The grapes are hand-harvested and gently crushed to retain 40% whole berries. Prior to yeasting with BDX yeast,
the grapes soaked for 48 hours, increasing the richness and intensity of the fruit character. Color extraction uses a
combination of destelage (draining juice and returning over the skins), with gentle cap irrigations. The grapes were
drained and pressed at dryness. The free-run and press wines were kept separate. Following fermentation the wine
went through malo-lactic fermentation in barrel. The wine was aged in 100% French oak, thin stave barrels for 22
months and racked every other month to naturally clarify the wine and soften the tannins. With no filtration or
fining, the wine was laid down in bottle for 12 months aging prior to release.
Appearance
dark ruby color
