Harvest Date September 4, 5 & 6

Growing Season The 1996 crop was marginally larger than 1995, both were tiny. Weather on Sonoma Mountain for the growing period was generally moderate and, in the final weeks leading up to harvest the days remained long and warm with very cold nights. In this respect 1996 was superior to 1995, a vintage which finished dry and hot causing many plants to suffer down the home stretch. Again, as in 1995, berry size was very small yielding fruit of remarkable concentration.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct-to-press
• Barrel fermented with indigenous yeast, 2 to 5 months to completion
• Concurrent spontaneous malolactic fermentation
• Barrel aged 10 months, 44% new French oak, sur-lies and stirred
• Unblended, unfined, unfiltered; bottled August 1997