Nose
Unctuous notes of red plum, currant, coffee, dark chocolate and wild huckleberry.
Palate
The texture is all silkiness on the palate, building to a crescendo of concentrated fruit and a velvety tannin structure.
Growing Conditions
Although 2009 was quite temperate, late October was warm and sunny which allowed our merlot blocks to achieve our desired level of ripeness and intensity. 2009 is the first vintage that we have incorporated a few barrels of a new block of clone 3 merlot (named in honor of our vineyard manager David Orozco) into the claret blend, along with the stalwart Lower Mountain Top merlot (also clone 3) and Rock Arch cabernet sauvignon that have traditionally comprised this cuvée. An authentic claret, this wine is truly more than the sum of its parts.
Regions: Napa, Sonoma.
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Bottling
Bottled: Sept. 2011.
Winemaking
Fermentation: Stainless steel.
Aging
Cooperage: French Oak.
