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The growing season began with much needed rain in February and March. Spring and summer were cool with relatively even temperatures. Indeed, the growing season was ideal, without heat spikes or off-shore winds, allowing for even ripening, up until mid-October. Every vintage has its surprises and challenges; ours sprung October 13th when we got more rain in one day than in any month of October in the past 40 years. We had 25% of our fruit in tank; the rest was still on the vine.
At that point, I was glad to have the dual perspective of making wine in both Burgundy and Napa. We make beautiful wines from moistened grapes most years in Burgundy. I felt confident that our loose-clustered, tough-skinned Cabernet would weather the storm. We waited 10 days for the fruit and roads to dry out, and then picked the fruit, sorting it thoroughly in the winery.
These wines are the product of a near perfect growing season. They have both balance and ripeness and while the effects of the rainstorm are perceptible--I attribute a softness on the palate to the rains. It did not diminish their inherent beauty.The wine greets you with aromas of cedar and red fruit. It is medium-bodied, with soft plummy fruit, spices and fine tannins.The wines began fermenting immediately. Fermentation and maceration lasted 2-3 weeks. We drained the free run juice from the tanks and pressed the skins. Our wine goes into 100% French barrels, half of which are new and half of which are seasoned by vintages past. They remained in barrel, on their lees until April 27th when they were bottled, unfiltered.1600 cases made
75.5% Cabernet Sauvignon
19.1% Merlot
3.8% Cabernet Franc
1.6% Petit Verdot |
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| The Sorting Table, LLC 1700 Second St. Suite 380 Napa, CA 94559 (707) 603-1460 |
Content and Images ©2013 The Sorting Table, LLC. |
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