A mix of plum, dark red fruit and spicy notes are noticeable right away. There is a bold fruity flavor with some raspberry tea notes mixed with dark chocolate and spice. The mouthfeel is full and almost heavy. A generous mouthfeel with uplifting finish.
2016 was a warm vintage in Washington State. The high heat units pushed forward harvest and many white grapes were picked in late August, a week or two ahead of average. In the spring, we had lots of wet weather that helped with the early season growth. The sun was out and shining through Summer, but temperatures never got over 100 degrees. There was some smoke in the air but instead of causing problems it helped mitigate some of the heat. The steady warm season was very consistent, without extreme highs the grapes ripened without being stressed. It was a great vintage.
I’m not sure why we don’t make more of this amazing varietal. It has made it into our Artist Series labels a few times. It is one of the last grapes we pick, and I know harvest is almost over when this comes into the winery. It has dark inky color and intense fruit flavors. The tannins are bold and expressive and should help this wine continue to age for a long time.
