Nose
With great depth, the aroma opens to ripe blackcurrant, cherry, dark plum and juniper berry with well-integrated oak spices. With cinnamon, clove, aromatic cedar, tobacco and milk chocolate, the overall impression is of a chocolate truffle dusted with cocoa powder.
Palate
The entry is full and promising with dark fruit flavors like blackberry and black currant, while the tannins are firm yet nicely resolved. With lots of depth and minerality, this wine is briary, juicy and rich; a great example of a refined mountain cabernet.
Growing Conditions
The above average rainfall for the winter and spring left the precipitation totals more than a third above normal by the end of June. The cooler, wet spring delayed bloom and disrupted fruit set, resulting in shatter in parts of the region. The cooler-than-average growing season continued through-out summer resulting in a later-than-average harvest. The delayed maturity of the fruit, coupled with a few early autumn rain storms, made for a very challenging harvest season. With experience, we were able to overcome these obstacles, producing really fine wines expressing the aromas and flavors preserved by a cooler-than-average growing season.
Harvest
November 2, 2011 at 23.2° Brix
Winemaking
5 day cold soak, inoculated with D245 and Melody yeast, 10 day fermentation at 88°F at the peak, with a total of 23 days of skin contact.
Aging
Cooperage: Taransaud, Seguin Moreau, Nadalie, DemptosAged in Barrel: 867 daysBarrels: French, 72% new oak.
Appearance
This wine is very dark, in fact it is opaque with ruby edges.
Food Pairing
Begs to be paired with a perfectly marbled grilled rib eye steak!
