Nose
Deep in color, the wine opens with a potpourri of traditional Clone 6 aromas
of earth, mushroom and cherry.
Palate
In the glass, the wine develops the
distinctive aromas of fresh herbs, black olive and pencil lead; overlain with
restrained dark fruits. Aging in French oak brings a polished finish of vanilla
and cedar to the wine. Concentrated flavors, rich fruit, supple tannins, lively
acidity and a long, persistent finish present a finely balanced wine consistent
with the elegance and finesse associated with our prior releases.
Winemaking
The grapes are hand-harvested and gently crushed to retain 40% whole berries. 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 98% French barrels for 19 months and was racked several
times during aging to naturally clarify the wine and soften the tannins. With no filtration or fining, the wine was laid
down in bottle for 18 months aging prior to release.
