Nose
Enticing aromas of violet, cinnamon and
nutmeg expand to reveal layers of black currant and lush Bing cherry, with the syrah adding a
fresh berry cobbler note.
Palate
On the palate, firm, well-balanced tannins and excellent acidity
provide an almost architectural backbone, and promise a long life. The finish is lengthy and
clean, with persistent fruit and flower elements.
Growing Conditions
A cool, wet spring resulted in a late bud break, and a smaller flowering,
lowering yields by approximately 25%. Summer weather was mild, dry and wonderful, with no
notable heat events. While 2010 was the coolest vintage in Buty’s history, small yields and
picture-perfect weather in September and October allowed for great hangtime, excellent
ripeness and good preservation of acidity.
From its amazing density of color and perfumed floral and spice aromatics to
its bold structure, this is an exciting wine, and a compelling expression of Phinny Hill Vineyard.
Though dominated by rich cabernet notes, the cool 2010 season has underscored the
brightness and energy of our Columbia Rediviva.
Harvest
Our cabernet sauvignon came in on October 12th at
24.3º Brix, with a pH of 3.34. The syrah was picked a week later at 24.5º Brix and a pH of 3.4.
Bottling
It was bottled unfiltered.
Winemaking
After de-stemming, the uncrushed fruit was gravity-transferred to wooden
Taransaud fermentation tanks. Both the cabernet sauvignon and syrah were individually
fermented for 12 days on the skins allowing for generous extract. Only free-run wine was
selected for this bottling, which was made from the finest lots of our Phinny Hill harvest.
Aging
The
wine was aged for 20 months, in 80% French oak and 20% American oak, with 40% of the
total being new.
