Growing Conditions
The historic Priest Ranch is now part of the Somerston Estate, a significant property totaling 1,682 acres, with 222 acres planted to hillside vineyards. Dramatic elevations of the vineyards define and distinguish the estate, ranging from 800 ft to 1,615 ft above sea level. In 2015, the grapes for this wine were chosen from three separate hillside blocks. The final blend was 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot, and 20% Malbec.
Harvest
Everything about the 2015 vintage was early, from bud break in early March to harvest. The warm summer days and lighter than normal yield accelerated the start of the harvest that vintage.
Winemaking
The fruit for our 2015 Coach Gun was handpicked, sorted, and fermented naturally, then aged for 24 months in 60% new French oak barrels. Our winemaking team refined the blend over the course of the first year of aging, and the final wine was determined just months before bottling.