Growing Conditions
While the 2013 vintage had 16% more rainfall than 2012, it would still be characterized as a dry year. The start to the season was temperate and fortunately there was no frost after bud break. Overall the summer was marked by cool mornings and warm afternoons. A heat spell during the second week of August accelerated the ripening process. We hand harvested on August 22th in the early morning hours under cool condition to preserve the freshness of the fruit.
Winemaking
The fruit for our 2013 Terroir Sauvignon Blanc came from our estate Walnut Wash Vineyard in Calistoga. Once in the winery the clusters were de-stemmed and gently pressed to avoid any bitterness. The juice was settled and fermented in small French oak barrels, 10% of which were new. The wine was aged sur lie with frequent stirring to increase body and texture. Bottling took place in May 2014.
Aging
7 months in 100%French oak (10% new), weekly
