Nose
Devilishly silky cherry and cocoa lead
to just a hint of spice and leather on
the nose.
Palate
The juicy palate screams of
concentrated blackberry and blueberry mingled with a core of cassis and
cocoa on the palate. Dried berries
and cherry spread over dark chocolate and a hint of coffee on the lasting
finish.
Growing Conditions
2011 started with much cooler temperatures than normal and up until late
summer we were still behind in terms of growing degree days. A late warm
spell saved the season and brought the much needed ripening. We chose
extended hang time which made for some incredible flavors without any unripe
characters. Even the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon made it through perfectly ripe and full of complex flavors. 2011 shows incredible –all the finished
wines show very fine natural acidities and perfectly balanced fruit and spice
characters with plenty of Washington terroir.
Appellation/Vineyards:
76% Stone Tree Vineyards– Wahluke Slope, 11% Candy Mtn,
5% Les Collines (Walla Walla), 5% Destiny Ridge (HHH), 3%
Francisca’s Vineyard– Walla Walla
Harvest
2011 will certainly go down in the history books! We didn’t harvest any grapes
in September! We harvested reds as much as 2-3 weeks earlier than average.
Bottling
April 9, 2013
Winemaking
Only free-run juice– never pressed
wine -goes into each bottle. Extended maceration when needed helps richness in flavors
and color. Cold soaking and gentle gravity techniques are implemented to ensure the quality remains high. Small lots are made and aged in various barrels for texture and complexity.
Aging
Aging: 14 months , 27% new oak, 68% French, 24%
American, 8% Hungarian.
