Winemaker Notes
The aromas of this beautiful Red Mountain Malbec sing with layers of macerated berries and lush pie fruits, with notions of cracked pink peppercorns and baking spices adding alluring complexity. On the palate, hedonistic flavors of ripe plum and berry compote are framed by a surprisingly structured frame, with plush tannins carrying the wine to a long sweet and savory finish.
Production
The 2021 vintage on Red Mountain will be famous for its warm growing season and its drought conditions, which combined to produce historically low yields. While budbreak was two weeks ahead of normal thanks to a warm, dry spring, blustery weather during flowering caused some shatter leading to very low yields. A late-June heatwave led to incredible phenolic development, while a second heatwave during veraison spurred the vines towards early ripening. Harvest started early, with ideal weather throughout September and October, and concluded two weeks ahead of schedule without any pressure from frost or rain. Due to the low yields and intense midsummer heat, our 2021 wines are displaying incredible power, ripeness and concentration.