Harvest Date September 24 - 25

Growing Season Cool temperatures and rain in spring led to a lighter than normal crop set of very small berries. The vines struggled and shoots never reached their full height, contributing to intensity of flavor in the fruit. Consistently splendid weather throughout a warm summer, combined with attention to the vines, resulted in wines showing immense concentration, fine-grained tannins and exceptional structure.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Fermented in closed-top stainless steel fermentors with indigenous yeasts; 2 months to completion
• 5-day cold soak, 29 days on skins
• spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels; 5 months to completion
• Aged 20 months in Taransaud, Seguin Moreau, Demptos, Radoux, and Bossuet French oak barrels; 100% new
• Unblended, Unfined and unfiltered; bottled July 2004