Brilliant red garnet color. Bright blackberry/cassis, leather, fresh earth and cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and dried herbs. A tantalizing blend of intense fruit, spice and savory herbs. Lively with a serious mid-palate. Flavors of blackberry, earth and cocoa with a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish which balances perfectly with the noticeable, yet disciplined tannins.
Fruit was sourced from Hedges (13%), Jolet (40%) Bel’ Villa (38%) and Magdalena (9%) Vineyards. Fruit was harvested between 9/9 and 10/13. This wine was cold soaked overnight then inoculated with yeast, fermented for 7 days on skins while being pumped over twice daily before pressing to barrels, where it was inoculated with malo-lactic bacteria. It was 100% barrel aged for 19 months in 41% new oak, 18% French and 82% American.
Harvest Notes: 2014 was warm early and stayed warm until harvest, the hottest since 1998. Ripe and the Brix that go with it were no problem this vintage and it was very fast, short growing season. Heat began early and remained constant which helped plants and fruit clusters acclimate to the extreme heat. With nights still cooling berry shrivel and raisining was nonexistent. With little to no rainfall throughout the year mildew problems were of no concern. One problem for wine makers was the early ripening of all varieties which made it challenging for harvesting grapes at their optimum. However, our long term relationships with our growers and vigilant testing (and the earlier than usual picking that went with it), helped us to pick grapes at their optimum. Riper, richer flavors predominate. Plenty of lushness in 2014.
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