Nose
Aromas of black cherry pie, cassis and plum wrap around secondary notes of sweet vanilla and cocoa.
Palate
This is a firm and
muscular vintage with a promising future ahead. Patience and ability to resist its youthful hedonism will pay off over
the next few years as the palate continues to develop in opulence revealing softer tannins, darker layers and more earthy
characteristics. Enjoy through 2030.
Growing Conditions
The season was marked by healthy winter rains, followed by a spring with ideal bloom conditions, which provided a uniform
fruit set. A summer of consistent temperatures and a late season warmth ensured nice ripe tannin and color development.
The berry size turned out to be smaller than usual, and therefore the wines are more intense, dense and rich. This is the
vintage you want to stash for as long as your patience permits.
Bottling
Bottled: September 17th, 2015
Winemaking
All fermentations were conducted in small, two ton fermenters filled by gravity. A three day cold soak period preceded a
warm fermentation peaking at 90°F. The fermenters were punched down 3 to 4 times a day during the fermentation period.
After fermentation was complete, the grapes were kept in contact with the wine for a variable number of days, depending on
how the wine tasted, to extract the best tannins from the fruit and avoid the harsher, late-extracted tannins.
Aging
22 months in 75% new French oak
