Nose
An intriguing and complex nose with a dense core of dark fruits lifted by floral notes of violets, spicy white pepper, sweet baking spices and aromatic cedar and sandalwood leads to an explosive entry of zesty blackberries and black cherries thoroughly infused with nutmeg and vanilla.
Palate
This wine softens through the midpalate to reveal an abundance of ripe plums set amidst a layer of crushed rocks and flecks of milk chocolate that flows nicely into a supple finish of fine-grained tannins and ferrous minerality. This very multi-layered wine drinks well now but will handsomely reward additional time in bottle.
Growing Conditions
The 2010 growing season was challenging, uneven and hard to predict with a wet and cool spring, a beautiful June, a foggier and cooler than normal summer that culminated in the seismic heat-spike of late August followed by two additional spikes in late-September and mid-October. As always, Richard and the crew were up for the challenge and presented me with fruit of a superb quality that earlier in the year I doubted was possible. The one casualty of the vintage was yield – 2010 turned out to be our smallest crop ever.
Aging
21 Months
100% French, 95% New, 5% Used
