Harvest Date September 23

Growing Season 2008 began with an exceptionally dry spring and early budbreak. Frosts in April significantly lowered cluster counts. Weather stabilized and warmed through summer, with warmer temperatures continuing through harvest. A smaller crop of high quality fruit was able to ripen fully and evenly, developing an excellent balance of sugars and acid. Overall, the 2008 wines are bright and expressive with well-articulated flavors.

Winemaking

• Hand-harvested grapes
• Whole cluster, direct to press, cold
• Barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts; 6 months to completion
• Concurrent spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels
• Aged 11 months in French oak barrels; 63% new
• Aged sur lies; biweekly bâtonnage
• Unfined and unfiltered; bottled August 2009