Harvest Date September 6 - October 7

Growing Season The growing season began with warm, dry weather in March, resulting in early bud break. A long summer of even temperatures had a moderating effect, lowering yields and maximizing complexity in the fruit. Six days of heat in the first week of September increased flavor intensity and led to an early harvest.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct to press
• Barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts; 6 months to completion
• Concurrent native malolactic fermentation in barrels; 5 to 9
months to completion
• Aged 11 months in French oak barrels; 58% new; sur-lies aged and stirred biweekly
• Unfined and unfiltered; bottled January 2006