Harvest Date September 18 – October 9

Growing Season The 2007 growing season was preceded by a mild, dry winter. Bud break came early and set a crop of small clusters and highly concentrated berries. Summer brought ideal weather with warm, even temperatures through veraison. Several heat spikes in August anticipated an early start to crush, but temperatures cooled in early September, allowing ample time for phenolics as well as sugars to reach optimum levels. The result was a slow, steady harvest of exceptional quality, with wines showing great intensity and structure.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct to press, cold
• Barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts; 2 to 5 months to completion
• Concurrent native malolactic fermentation in barrels
• Aged 11 months in French oak barrels; 51% new
• Aged sur lies; biweekly bâtonnage
• Unfined and unfiltered; bottled December 2008