Harvest
In one of the coolest growing seasons in memory, we benefited greatly in 2011 from our 35 years of experience farming Bordeaux varietals. To counteract uneven vine growth due to unusual spring weather, we did meticulous green thinning. We also gently opened up the canopy to expose the fruit, were judicious in our picking schedule, and sorted meticulously both in the vineyards and winery. The majority of our Merlot came in before the October rains, and due to our quality adjustments the remainder of our fruit fared well until it was harvested. Warm up-valley locations like Oakville, Rutherford, St, Helena and Calistoga were particularly successful, and overall the resulting wines are pure and elegant.
Winemaking
The 2011 vintage has delivered an elegant, age-worthy and invitingly fragrant expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of red currant, dried cherry, cigar box, cocoa, tobacco leaf and fig compote rise from the glass. On the palate, this wine is fresh and supple with flavors of huckleberry, spiced plum, rhubarb and red currant supported by dusty, fine-grained tannins and hints of cedar and sage.