Nose
Deep, primal aromas of iron and copper ascend to intense sweet black cherry, fine bittersweet chocolate and rich cassis.
Palate
On the palate, seductive, unctuous flavors of caramelized plums, juicy wild blackberries, late Bing cherries, dusty tobacco, young mesquite and cocoa powder traverse a focused structure of well-defined tannins. An enormous, spectacularly long finish underscores this wine’s pedigree, and its promise of graceful aging.
Growing Conditions
On a perch overlooking the Napa Valley, high above the fog line, our estate vineyard is the rocky home to our Bordeaux varieties and Chardonnay.
Varieties Grown: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay
Year Planted: 1999
Acres Planted: 72
Elevation: 1,500 to 2,100 feet
Soil: Rocky outcropping in the higher elevations; Bressa-Dibble (rocky loam) in the lower elevations
Row Orientation: Northeast to Southwest
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Bottling
It was bottled unfined and unfiltered on April 25, 2011
Winemaking
The grape clusters were hand-sorted, and once de-stemmed, the berries were sorted again by hand on the way to tank. After four to five days of pre-fermentation cold maceration in small open-top fermentors, the fruit began 100% native yeast fermentation. Two to three weeks later, the fruit was gently pressed and moved to barrel where it finished primary and secondary fermentations.
Aging
The wine continued to age in 85% new French oak – a combination of Taransaud and St. Martin barrels – for eighteen months.
Appearance
The 2009 Pièce de Résistance glistens with a dazzling byzantium hue.
