Nose

Generous aromatics with a savory variety of, cola, walnut, earth, floral and fennel notes.

Palate

Robust flavors framed by “grippy” tannins. The tannins stay present on a long, balanced finished. Aaron Pott often uses French phrases when describing subtle nuances in wine – he called the tannins on the finish, “enrober,” meaning tannins-in-robes…

Growing Conditions

Estate vineyard on Napa Valley floor on Pratt Avenue in the St. Helena AVA. Sympa is grown on the south parcel, “Block 1,” on a ribbon of gravel that is an ancient river bed with deep, light soils that stress the vines into low fruit production. The vines are cane pruned and handtended to yield two clusters per shoot. The parcel yields two tons per acre. Cover crops are primarily legumes. Irrigation is light and determined by monitoring vine sap flow throughout the season. The See clone of Cabernet Sauvignon planted here is from Joseph Phelps’ Backus Vineyard bud wood.

Bottling

Bottled August, 2015.

Winemaking

Hand-picked fruit, double sorted to berry level Cold soak before fermentation, 5 days D254 yeast fermentation 14 days extended maceration Racked twice

Aging

22 months in French Oak barrels: Bossuet, Darnajou, Orion.