Growing Conditions
While the growing conditions in 2008 were very good, the one element that will be most remembered is the dearth of clusters and the very small size of these clusters. The vintage provided only 60% of normal rainfall and, combined with brutal frosts and extreme heats, the vines were clobbered, leading to the very small crop. Yield/acre was about 40% below normal, but the quality was very high. Over the summer it looked as though the season would be late, and a wicked heat spell burned some growers who had removed too many leaves. The weather cooled in September and Bordeaux varieties ripened beautifully
Harvest
On October 12 small clusters were hand harvested in immaculate condition.
Bottling
bottled in Summer 2010.
Winemaking
TEXTBOOK Cabernet Sauvignon clusters were hand-harvested and then hand-sorted at the winery at an average of 26.1 Brix and subsequently cold soaked for four days in open-top, temperature-controlled fermenters. One daily punchdown during fermentation kept the caps immersed and extracted superb flavor and structure. After twenty days on their skins the must was gently pressed into French oak barriques where it completed ML fermentation over the winter. Press fractions were not used. Barrels were of the highest quality; 100% French, 45% new, three-year air-dried, medium-toast with toasted heads and handcrafted by Boutes and Francois Frères. Nineteen months maturation in barrel with two rackings and one egg white fining integrated flavors and developed its textured mouth-feel.
Aging
100% French, 45%
