Harvest Date September 28

Growing Season Excellent climatic conditions throughout the summer growing season; moderate temperatures, no precipitation. Two late season blasts of hot, dry, Indian-summer winds struck the vineyards in the midst of fruit maturation. This provoked a dehydration response in most vineyards and some vineyards succumbed. The Kunde vineyard, however, is very deep rooted. The plants endured the assault allowing a pick under peak weather conditions, late in the season.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct-to-press
• Barrel fermented with indigenous yeast, 2 to 7 months to completion
• Concurrent, spontaneous malolactic fermentation
• Barrel aged 9 months, 38% new French oak, sur-lies and stirred
• Unblended, unfined, unfiltered; bottled September 1996