Nose
The nose opens with intense
berry and cassis fruit, highlighted with notes of spicy ginger, cinnamon, violets and toffee.
Palate
On the palate, brooding yet
silky tannins are balanced by layers of black currants, cherries, blueberries and blackberries fill the mid-palate, deepening
into nuances of mocha, allspice, dark chocolate and dried rose petals through the finish. Decant for up to an hour allow
this wine to show its hidden depths.
Growing Conditions
Through dense plantings, meticulous pruning and canopy management, and careful hand-harvesting at night, each 25 pound
bin of fruit arrives at the winery in pristine condition. The appellation compilation of Fortis will vary year-to-year according
to each region’s performance throughout the vintage. Fruit for the 2006 Fortis is a selection of Oakville, Stags Leap District,
Rutherford and Carneros vineyards.
The 2006 vintage was long and very slow, with average-size crops getting plenty of time to fully mature on the vine.
Harvest
We
started harvesting these grapes in late October. They were sorted with an intensive process of cluster selection, then berry
selection before crushing.
Bottling
Bottling in April 2008.
Winemaking
One of our most complex bottlings so far, the 2006 FORTIS balances elegance with size.
Aging
After malolactic, the wines were transferred to French oak barrels, 75% new, where they aged
for 14 months.
Food Pairing
This is a massively structured wine that will only gain in structure and complexity with age and cellaring it will repay your
time. It will best pair with lush yet simple preparations that will balance the tannins while allowing the multifaceted flavors
to shine. Drink it with wood-grilled steaks, chops and vegetables or classic braises like osso bucco when young. After 8-10
years, try it with roast chicken with mushrooms or stuffed pork tenderloin.