Nose
The nose displays alluring layers of red berries,
cinnamon, ginger spice and sweet cream, along with undercurrents of dusty cocoa powder.
Palate
On the palate, jammy red fruit and floral notes mingle with savory hints of roasted red pepper
coulis, all underscored by firm, rich tannins and lovely energy.
Growing Conditions
While the 2016 growing season delivered our fourth year in a row of
early budbreak and flowering, a well-timed mid-summer cooldown extended the season. This
provided the grapes with an ideal amount of hangtime, while preserving the natural acidity
that is so integral to our style—factors that resulted in particularly exceptional cabernet franc.
While 2016 yielded our earliest harvest ever at Conner Lee, it was a near-perfect growing
season, and every cluster was gorgeous. Because 2016 yielded some of the most spectacular cabernet franc we have
ever seen from Conner Lee, this gorgeous wine includes the highest percentage of cabernet
franc in more than a decade.
Harvest
We picked the majority of our merlot on September
15th at 23.8º Brix, and the rest on September 22nd at 25. 8º. Our cabernet franc from Conner
Lee’s renowned 1991 Block was harvested on October 1st at 24.8º.
Bottling
The final wine was blended just prior to bottling in January 2018.
Winemaking
We hand-sorted and destemmed the fruit. The merlot and cabernet franc were
fermented separately in wood tanks. The merlot was fermented for 13 days, and the cabernet
franc for 16 days, with both receiving aeration during fermentation.
Aging
The wines were aged 15
months in Taransaud and Bel Air French Château barrels, with 31% total new oak and
minimal racking.
