Nose
Classic and intense aromas of blackberry jam, cassis and boysenberry puree.
Palate
Flavors explode on the palate with cascades of youthful black cherry, dark chocolate and black tea. This beauty is at the same time powerful and poised. It is semingly endless on the finish, with gorgeous and fine tannins carrying it to a crescendo of lushness and generosity. It is seamless, pure and delicious.
Harvest
Mole Hill, Howell Mountain
Mole Hill is our three-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard with loam soil approximately two feet deep. Planted in 1993 and 1994, it is nestled beside a gorge on Howell Mountain at 1700 feet with a western exposure.
The gorge acts as an elevator shaft from the valley floor, creating a unique microclimate for the vineyard. Small rocks are prolific and rise to the surface like cream in coffee. In combination with soil depth, this creates a spartan home for the vines, generating a concentration of flavors in the grapes. Each year, we harvest Mole Hill multiple times to capture the unique flavors expressed in each part of the vineyard. The beautiful, lingering finishes of the Lail Vineyards J. Daniel Cuvée begin in this jewel box as well as the single vineyard, Mole Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winemaking
Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky, Winemakers
Aging
20 months in French oak barrels; 80% new
Appearance
Deep purple-black.