Nose
On the nose, notes of black berries dominate with slight hints of smoke, wet stones, tobacco and dried herbs.
Palate
On the palate the wine has an intense energy, filling the front of the palate with a subtle minerality. The middle palate displays multiple layers of flesh with a crescendo of flavor and tannins that recede slowly, leaving an impression of extremely fine-grained, youthful tannins. The finish is persistent on the palate and it becomes more and more refined as it fades. Though generous at the moment, the 2009 shows great poise and the classic proportion to age gracefully for the next 30+ years.
Growing Conditions
Budbreak began in the first week of April. The season progressed evenly with very few heat spells and nearly ideal conditions during ripening.
Harvest
Harvest commenced in late September with the western-facing upper elevations ripening first. Next were the lower elevations on western exposures, followed by the east-facing mid-slopes that were gathered by the middle of October. All told, nearly 68 distinct harvest passes were made in order to capture each parcel at its optimum expression.
Winemaking
These multiple passes resulted in over 40 individual vinifications. One year later, at blending, only twenty-one of those lots were selected in assembling the final blend. We believe the result captures the symphony of Promontory’s character within the context of the 2009 growing season.
Appearance
Deep, dark red in appearance.
