Tightly wound and full bodied, decant this gem for fuller enjoyment now, or hold for future rewards. Dark cherry notes, light leather, toasty oak and graphite, the wine keeps revealing layers as it sits in your glass. Some wild forest berries and chopped herbs align with full on tannins and good acid structure, and the oak adds toasty spice to the finish.
2017 tracked right along our long-term average temperatures. It seemed like it was going to be another hot vintage, but the weather mellowed, and we were left with average temperatures. We had some major fires nearby and the smoke cloud ended up moderating some of the hotter weather we were anticipating. After we got started picking in September the weather took a slight cool turn and allowed all our grapes to hang as long as we needed. So far things are tasting great from this vintage.
I feel like I am starting to have more fun making this varietal. My first few vintages I was getting my head around all the new varietals. Now I am focusing more on what is going to add my signature touch to this wine, the right barrel program and fermentation techniques. I am starting to refine my plan in the vineyard and cellar that are taking this to the next level. Sourcing our Cab from multiple blocks and clones gives us some great blending options when picking out the best barrels for the final blend. The lots are produced in small batches before pressing and aging in French Oak Barrels. They age for 22 months with a few racking’s prior to filtration and bottling. A touch of Merlot was blended in to enhance the palate and bring more richness to the wine.
