Harvest Date October 15 - October 27

Growing Season 2006 was slightly cooler overall than 2005 and began with delayed bud break due to long, wet spring. The weather warmed in May, continuing through summer and into fall to provide the extended growing season needed for fruit to ripen fully. Harvest began late but was accelerated by mid-harvest rains in early October. A quick response and careful hand-harvesting allowed us to keep quality high and yields low.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct to press, cold
• Barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts; 4 months to completion
• Concurrent native malolactic fermentation in barrels; 4 to 5 months to completion
• Aged10½ months in French oak barrels; 59% new; sur lies aged and stirred biweekly
• Unfined and unfiltered; bottled august 2007