Nose
Aromas of juicy ripe black cherry and
floral raspberry marry with fresh citrus blossom, pencil lead and a hint of marzipan.
Palate
Smooth, sweet tannins frame the unctuous
mouthfeel, dazzling with a balance of rich complexity and fresh acidity. On the palate, notes of ripe black cherry, cassis, mocha and
sarsaparilla merge with captivating briny green olive, light ash and orange peel. A crescendo of intense black fruit, bitter chocolate
and sweet cigar extend the rhapsody through an endless finish, presenting ample time to savor this extraordinary wine. Best from 2020 through 2035, with a sustained plateau beyond 2040. Delightful upon release, but allow a minimum of 90
minutes for decanting. This enormous Bordeaux-style blend will evolve magnificently with proper cellaring, promising even
more opulent layering in a richly caressing mouthfeel.
Growing Conditions
The 2012 growing season began relatively dry, continuing with a warm spring and perfect weather for fruit set. The vines
produced a record amount of high-quality small-berry clusters, enabling us to nurture the crop with great precision. In all, we
kept just half the initial yield to ensure optimal ripeness. The berries developed exceptionally rich flavor, color and density,
most notably in the Merlot, which plays a prominent role in the 2012 Proprietary Red, similar to blends from last decade.
Bottling
The wine was bottled unfined and minimally filtered on May 16, 2014.
Winemaking
The grape clusters were hand-sorted, de-stemmed, and individual berries selected by our winemaking team. After seven to
fifteen days of a gentle cold soak in small open-top fermenters, the fruit began 100% native yeast fermentation. After two to
three weeks, the fruit was gently pressed and the juice was moved to barrel where it finished primary and malolactic fermentation,
also native.
Aging
The wine continued to age in 95% new, super fine-grained, medium-plus and heavy toasted French oak Bordeaux
export barrels for eighteen months.
Appearance
Beginning with its deep purple hue and glints of ruby, this wine is opulent in every sense.
