Nose
Envision a
blueberry, a blackberry & a cherry in a cedar
chest, this best describes the nose.
Palate
Blackberry and ripe black cherry dominate the
palate, while a light touch of vanilla bean and
cocoa powder round things out. The finish
is silky cocoa-cassis that fills the mouth and
lasts and lasts.
Growing Conditions
The 2013 growing started slowly, with an extended
bloom period due to cooler than average temperatures. After bloom we couldn’t have
programmed better growing conditions. Very warm days and cool clear nights were
the norm. A few scattered thunderstorms hit sections of the growing area but there
was no significant rainfall after early June, allowing for precise canopy management.
Through July and August we had warmer than normal temperatures and no rainfall.
Appellation/Vineyards:
Stone Tree Vineyards (57 % Wahluke Slope); Les Colline, Francisca’s Vineyard, & Bergevin Springs (42% Walla Walla) Pontin Del Rose (2% Yakima Valley)
Harvest
Harvest ended up starting about a week early from the warm sites, but as things
cooled off we were able slow down thing in the Walla Walla valley and allow the fruit
to get fully mature for perfect flavors. Over all the 2013 vintage will prove to be an excellent vintage.
Bottling
June 29, 2015
Winemaking
Hand Picked grapes are carefully sorted and lightly crushed and gravity
fed into 4 ton fermenters to preserve fruit character. Seven different cultured yeasts, one per lot, are used to
create a silky texture and a broad palate of flavors. Fermentation was conducted slowly to prevent harsh tannins. After a 21 day fermentation, the free run wine was separated and the skins gently pressed. This blend is
unique in that I don’t always blend by varietal, I blend by vineyard. The Wahluke Slope Vineyard delivers the
fruit and our Walla Walla vineyards add earth and tobacco flavors.
Aging
20 months in neutral 228 liter French &
American barrels.
