WINEMAKER’S NOTES

The 2018 Fianchetto from Firethorn Vineyard is another exquisite wine. It’s a blend of 37% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 28% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep ruby-purple color with a bouquet of ripe black currant, blackberry, black plum, ripe red fruit, violet, gravel, and cigar tobacco. Full-bodied with firm tannins, the palate is very complex with precise notes of cassis, black cherry, gravel, cigar tobacco, incense, espresso, vanilla, and dark chocolate. The finish is very long with well delineated notes of cigar tobacco, violets, cedar, and cassis. Properly cellared, this wine should reach maturity in 8-10 years and drink well for 20+ years.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 182 hours. 100% native fermentation. The wine was punched down by hand 2 times each day during maceration and fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending.

Elevage was 24 months in 80% new French oak from Troncais. After bottling the wine was aged in our cellar for four years prior to release. No fining agents were employed. The wine was very gently filtered using crossflow filtration. Alc 14.9%, pH 3.58, titratable acidity 5.9 g/L

CASES PRODUCED   80

VARIETALS   37% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc

APPELLATION   Firethorn Vineyard, Columbia Valley