Nose
Concentrated and intense, the 2013 Booth Bella Oaks broods in the glass, mysterious and almost impenetrable, laden with cassis and ripe dark fruits broadened by prominent notes of grated baking chocolate, pooled blackstrap molasses and struck granite.
Palate
A palate oozing with late-summer blackberries, Satsuma plums and fractured blueberries drips onto a granular and powerfully wound structure that promises to pull this wine into the next decades.
Growing Conditions
Simply put, the 2013 growing season was spectacular. An early bud break was followed by an extended stretch of warm weather that promoted rapid early season development while the dry conditions limited vigor in the vines. Nearly ideal conditions during flowering resulted in a great fruit set. Very warm and dry weather continued through the late spring and into the early summer establishing compact vines. And just when we began to have a few concerns about the extended stretch of warm weather, daytime temps came down a bit starting in the midsummer almost as if we ordered them, nicely slowing down ripening and allowing flavors to develop more deeply. These spectacular conditions continued through the end of the summer and deep into the autumn, allowing us to pick each batch of fruit at optimal maturity over the course of several weeks.
Aging
20 Months
100% French, 97% new, 3% used
