Nose
Luscious aromas of dark berries on the nose.
Palate
Sumptuous
elegant layers of blackberries, rich black cherries and
hints of spice notes on the palate. The finish is silky, yet
expressive.
Growing Conditions
After a “classic” Washington vintage in 2012, the summer
of 2013 was one of the warmest in the past decade with
favorable temperature conditions extending into fall. Accelerated ripening due to the warm season was slowed
by cooler temperatures and light rain events in September.
This aided in hang time development resulting in stellar
fruit characters and flavors.
Source vineyard: Wautoma Springs is a small vineyard nestled in the heart
of the Cold Creek district. This low-yielding vineyard is
planted exclusively with Cabernet Sauvignon on rocky,
silt loam soil to provide optimal drainage and support
healthy growth. Cabernet Sauvignon has an affinity for the growing season’s
warm daytime cooler evening temperatures. The balance
between daytime and nighttime temperatures during
the ripening period help to concentrate aromatics and
enhance complexity. The region’s low rainfall yields concentrated fruit with
depth and varietal expression.
Winemaking
Handpicked grapes from block 99 were destemmed, sorted
and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. Twice-daily pumpovers during fermentation occurred
for 6-10 days to aerate the wine and enhance aromatics
and bouquet.
Aging
Lots were kept separate and placed into 60% new French
oak barrels. Aging occurred for 20 months, with blending
happening just prior to bottling
