Nose
It is aromatic with fresh red and black
berries, dried herbs and a touch of red licorice.
Palate
Firm, ripe tannins are prominent as precise,
concentrated flavors of cassis, black plums and graphite coat the mouth. Balanced acidity
and a touch of vanillin complement the fruit and tannins over a never‐ending finish.
Growing Conditions
The 2007 growing season was preceded by a mild, dry winter. Bud break
came early, setting a crop of highly concentrated berries in small clusters. Summer brought
ideal weather with warm, even temperatures through veraison. Late summer brought
several heat spikes followed by moderate temperatures that prevailed through harvest.
Fruit had ample time for phenolics as well as sugars to reach optimum levels. The result was
a slow, steady harvest of exceptional quality, with wines showing great intensity and
structure.
Harvest
Hand‐harvested grapes.
Bottling
Unblended, unfined and unfiltered; Bottled June 2009.
Winemaking
Fermented in small, closed‐top stainless steel fermentors with indigenous yeasts
5‐day cold soak, 38 days total maceration
Native malolactic fermentation in barrels
Aging
Aged 20 months in Sylvain and Taransaud French oak barrels; 95% new.
Appearance
Deep garnet in color.