Nose
Ripe black cherry/raspberry nose, with notes of pepper, licorice, chaparral, and tobacco.
Palate
Rich black fruit on the palate. Full, viscous. Well-coated tannins and a long, layered finish.
Growing Conditions
Despite welcome late-spring rains, the growing season got off to an early start in 2009. Significant heat throughout July ripened the grapes for harvest in early September.
Harvest
The vineyard’s thirty-four parcels were picked separately, fermented on their natural yeasts, and were pressed at dryness. In blind tastings following natural malolactic, we chose twenty-three of the lots to exemplify the vintage. The proportion of new oak was reduced slightly, to allow full expression of the wine’s fruit and inherent elegance.
