Winemaker's Notes
Black garnet in color, the nose is perfumed with black cherry, dusty rose and tea. The palate is full-throttle in flavor and silky in texture, with cassis, mocha and cigar box that carry through the mid-palate and lead to a spicy finish and fine, chewy tannins. Alcohol 14.7%
Harvest
Harvest Date
September 9 – October 16
Harvest Brix
Average: 25.2°
Growing Season
Warm weather in spring led to an early budbreak. A summer of unusually high temperatures resulted in a very early harvest. Consistent work in the vineyards was the key to keeping vines and fruit in balance and assuring even ripening. The resulting cabernets are bold wines, with great density and lots of chewy tannins.
Winemaking
• Hand-harvested grapes
• Fermented in 10 ton closed-top stainless steel fermentors with indigenous selected yeasts
• 5 days cold soak, average 28 days total maceration
• Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels; 3 months completion
• Aged 20 months in French oak barrels; 70% new: Taransaud, Alain Fouquet, Demptos, Bossuet, Sylvain.
• Unfined and unfiltered; bottled July 2006
• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
