Nose
Highly aromatic and offers a big fruity nose of blackberries, cherries and black currants in addition to that Howell Mountain perfume of graphite, crushed rock and licorice.
Palate
It is revealing hints of coffee, dark chocolate, cedar wood and spice box. We find this wine full-bodied with magnificent concentration and formidable dense well-integrated tannins, length and overall harmony. You may enjoy it now, but this wine will keep for many more years.
Growing Conditions
This wine is produced from grapes grown on Howell Mountain from Las Posadas Road just outside Rancho La Jota. As usual, respect of the terroir and integrity of the fruit is the key to our winemaking philosophy.
Harvest
All handpicked on October 3, 6 and 15, and hand-sorted on our state-of-the-art sorting tables.
Bottling
No fining or filtering prior to bottling in July 2006.
Winemaking
After a 5-day cold soak at 37°F, the fermentation took place for 15 days in our temperature controlled five ton fermenters, with pump-overs occurring twice a day. Following the alcoholic fermentation and after a 3-week extended maceration, the wine was barreled and aged for 20 months in 100 percent French oak barrels, with malolactic fermentation in barrels.
Aging
20 months in 100% French oak barrels
Appearance
Inky blue.
