Palate
Combining a lush and juicy merlot-driven core of black cherry and boysenberry,
with lovely cabernet franc layers of flowers, blueberry and baking spices, this is a rich and
compelling wine. Beautifully integrated new oak added to the complexity of this blend, while
imparting hints of vanilla, nutmeg and mocha. The finish is long and has a supple texture,
with natural acidity adding precision and focus to the berry and spice flavors.
Growing Conditions
2014 delivered abundant spring heat, leading to early budbreak and
flowering. To address the heat, which continued through summer, we tailored our irrigation,
crop size and shading to the needs of each vineyard. In the run up to harvest, Mother Nature
delivered ideal temperate weather, which allowed us to pick exactly when we wished. Reflecting our belief that cool sites produce spectacular wines in warm years,
the 2014 growing season yielded one of the most exciting vintages of this wine that we have
ever made.
Harvest
One of
our earliest harvests ever, we picked our merlot from Conner Lee on September 17th at 25.0º
Brix. We harvested our cabernet franc from the 1991 Block on September 30th at 25.1º, and
picked a small block of clone 332 cabernet franc (that was planted specifically for Buty) on
Sept 25th at 25.0º.
Bottling
The final wine was blended just
prior to bottling in January 2016.
Winemaking
We hand-sorted and destemmed the fruit. To preserve aromatics, the cabernet
franc was gravity transferred to small fermenters and fermented for 11-14 days, while the
merlot was fermented in a wood tank for 15 days. Both were aerated during fermentation.
Aging
The wines were aged 15 months in Taransaud and Bel Air French Château barrels and 500-
liter puncheons, with 30% total new oak and minimal racking.
