Palate
This mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from Melanson Vineyard is savory,
with a marked minerality derived from the rocky hillside. The ink-black fruit is
concentrated and powerfully expressed. The structure of the wine is steely, with
a wet-stone quality. It promises exceptional ageability.
Growing Conditions
Our first vintage from Pritchard Hill provided an excellent opportunity to
observe and learn from what the vineyard had to teach us. The intensely rocky
site promised optimal berry size, so we allowed the fruit to set and progress as
it wanted to, with minimal thinning or other intervention.
Of the two clones planted, Clone 7 emerged as the star of this first vintage,
effortlessly maturing to completion. It stopped growing at the right time and
showed no ill effects from the unusually cool temperatures that persisted
throughout most of the summer. When the heat finally spiked on the valley floor,
our fruit took little notice, thanks to the altitude of the vineyard. The clusters hung
well into October, ripening slowly but steadily on the brow of the hill.
Bottling
Bottled unfined and unfiltered June 2013.
Winemaking
Clones 7 and 337 were picked and fermented separately. Clusters were hand
sorted and de-stemmed without the addition of sulphur and cold soaked for
seven days. Only natural yeasts attended each small lot, with no inoculation for
alcoholic or malolactic fermentation. Owing to high concentration of tannins
in the thick skin of this mountain fruit, the wine was pressed and taken off the
skins after a relatively short, 14-day maceration.
Although Clone 337 produced a wine of obvious quality, Clone 7 was simply
spectacular. It is our pleasure to showcase that stand-alone achievement in the
inaugural release of our Melanson Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aging
Aging: 20 months in 100% French
oak (80% new barrels)
Barrel Coopers: Ermitage
and Darnajou
