Nose
aromas of boysenberry, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, coupled with seductive chocolate and loam scents
Palate
a lush palate of luxurious dark berry, cassis, black fig and dark chocolate flavors framed by round, supple tannins. Seamlessly structured and beautifully balanced, with a very long, sumptuous finish
Growing Conditions
In 2013, a warm, dry spring initiated early bud-break, ensured trouble-free vine flowering and grape set, and led to a consistently mild summer fostering steady, even ripening and grapes boasting wonderful flavor concentration. Our Benchland Select grapes were picked between September 25th and October 3rd with an optimum balance of sugar and acidity.
Winemaking
We harvested and fermented our 2013 Benchland Select grapes from eight separate vineyard blocks containing four superior cabernet sauvignon clones (4, 7, 15 and 337). The individual lots fermented in small stainless steel tanks to maximize color, flavor and tannin extraction. Tank sizes, yeast strains, fermentation temperatures, maceration techniques and barrel aging regimens were specifically tailored to the character of each lot, ensuring that the finest attributes of each vineyard block were reflected in the final blend. Our 2013 Benchland Select spent 22 months aging in French oak barrels, 54% new, prior to bottling on August 5th, 2015.
Aging
22 months in French oak, 54% new
