Nose
Aromas
of red cherry, raspberry, violets, and cedar lift from the glass.
Palate
The texture is focused with well-defined
flavors of cherry, vanilla, and bramble. The silky tannins are complemented by bright
acidity that is carried through the lengthy finish.
Growing Conditions
2013 was a phenomenal growing season in just about every way. A warm, dry spring
led to early bud break, limited canopy vigor and berry size, and created ideal conditions
through bloom and fruit set. An abundance of long sunny days, with only one heat spike in
early July, resulted in even ripening and an early harvest with exceptional flavor development.
The 2013 vintage offers very high quality wines that are striking in their balance and
expression.
Harvest
Hand-harvested; picked at night.
Bottling
Unfined and unfiltered; bottled January 2015
Winemaking
Hand-sorted while still cold from the field; 8% whole cluster inclusion
5-day cold soak, 16 days total maceration
Fermented in small, open-top stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts
Gentle punchdowns and pumpovers
Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels
Aging
Aged 15 months in French Oak barrels; 59% new.
Coopers: Cadus, Louis Latour, Francois Frères, Marques, Remond
Appearance
The dazzling garnet color of this wine is indicative of its concentrated red fruit profile.