Nose
delightfully fresh, fragrant aromas of strawberry, red cherry and raspberry, with hints of citrus, spice and mineral.
Palate
Bright, vibrant and zesty on the palate, the wine’s succulent berry and white cherry flavors lead to a crisp finish showcasing cherry, citrus, spice and mineral tones.
Growing Conditions
The 2016 vintage got off to an excellent start with much-needed in fall during the winter and early spring that replenished soils and the water table. Moderate-to-warm spring temperatures in Anderson Valley resulted in early flavor development in our pinot noir grapes, while a cool growing season in Napa Valley yielded syrah fruit with bright flavors and refreshing acidity. In both regions, mild summer weather with no major heat spikes ensured steady, even ripening and an early harvest. Yields were slightly below average, which resulted in grapes with impressively concentrated flavors and superb balance between acid and tannin
Winemaking
We night-harvested our pinot noir grapes by hand for freshness and fruit purity, then lightly pressed the clusters to extract just a blush of color. Our Syrah fruit was also hand harvested at night, but went through the saigneé process, in which free run juice is bled from the grape must (skins and pulp) before the skins impart too much color. Both lots were cold-fermented to preserve freshness and acidity with 69% of the juice fermenting in stainless steel tanks, 20% in stainless steel barrels and 11% in neutral French oak barrels. Sixty-five percent of the wine aged three months in neutral French oak and 35% aged in stainless steel barrels with the final blend bottled early in January, 2017 to capture maximum freshness and fruitiness.
Aging
65% aged 3 months in neutral French oak barrels, 35% in stainless steel barrels.
Food Pairing
grilled seafood and poultry dishes, country ham, summer salads and spicy Latin and Asian cuisines.
