Nose
An aromatic symphony of black raspberry, vanilla and fresh‐baked brioche.
Palate
The palate, silky and well‐balanced, weaves together fresh‐ picked blackberry, dark red cherry and anise with floral notes. Plum and boysenberry harmonize with Darjeeling tea over the long, expressive finish supported by firm, round tannins.
Growing Conditions
2009 began with an abundance of spring rain followed by mild, steady summer temperatures that set the stage for nearly ideal pinot noir and chardonnay growing conditions. The well‐set fruit ripened slowly allowing for an excellent balance of sugars and acids to develop. The resulting wines can be characterized as elegant and rich with profound depth and structure.
Harvest
Hand‐harvested grapes.
Bottling
Unfined and unfiltered; bottled August 2010.
Winemaking
Fermented in small, open‐top stainless steel fermentors with indigenous yeasts 5‐day cold soak, 15 day total maceration Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels
Aging
Aged 11 months in small French oak barrels; 50% new.
Appearance
A deep, garnet hue.