Winemaker Notes
This seamless blend offers a heady mix of blueberry and cherry aromas, underscored by layers of vanilla, clove, molasses, black pepper and lavender. On the palate, it is velvety and round with lush and lingering berry and cherry flavors supported by well-integrated tannins. Balanced acidity adds brightness and lift of brambly fruit, which carries through to a long, satisfying finish.
Production
2011 was one of the coolest growing seasons in memory. To counteract uneven vine growth, we did meticulous green thinning, gently opened up the canopy to expose the fruit, were judicious in our picking schedule and sorted meticulously both in the vineyards and winery. Due to our quality adjustments the remainder of our fruit fared well despite the October rains. Warm up-valley locations like Oakville, Rutherford, St, Helena and Calistoga were particularly successful, and overall the resulting wines are pure and elegant