2023 HUMAN[E]
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
The 2023 Human[e] is a full-bodied, richly textured wine with a dense, complex core. It has beautifully delineated aromatics of blackberry, blueberry, dark plum, pencil lead, gravel, cedar, eucalyptus, and wild mint. The wine is well structured with a juicy succulence and lavishly opulent fruit character. The silky, refined tannins frame precisely delineated flavors of blackberry, cassis, black plum, tar, mint, vanilla, dark chocolate, and espresso. There are also gentle nuances of violets, Asian spice, and wild sage. The refreshing acidity provides a high-toned lift on the long, vibrant finish which resonates with notes of violets, gravel, and cassis. Properly cellared, the wine should reach maturity in 8-10 years and provide excellent drinking for 20+ years.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 142 hours and a post-fermentation maceration of 105 hours. The wine was punched down by hand 3 times each day during macerations and fermentation. 100% native fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending. The wine had an elevage of 30 months in French Oak. The oak profile is 50% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers). The wine achieved its sparkly brilliance from 3 judicious rackings, no fining agents were employed. The wine was very lightly filtered to capture any remaining lees. The alcohol is 14.9%, pH is 3.73, and the titratable acidity is 6.0 g/L.
CASES PRODUCED 70
VARIETALS 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot
APPELLATION PineBrake Vineyard, Rattlesnake Hills
LABEL STORY
The concept of the Human[e] label is to create a wine to raise money for charity; to be human by being humane. We want this to have a global scope, so every year we find an artist representing a different country to create a unique label. 70% of total sales of Human[e] is given to charity. Most is given to charities in the United States; a little bit is given to a charity important to the artist.
This year’s artist is Benny Yarnell, hailing from Denver, Colorado. Benny grew up a “military brat” childhood, largely overseas. His father taught him how to draw from a very young age, and encouraged him to embrace new mediums like digital art and compositing as he grew up. His father also always impressed upon him the kind treatment of cats, which has resulted in Benny becoming a full-fledged cat person with a special interest in the welfare and rescue of street cats in Eastern European nations.
On his Human[e] label: “‘Eastern Cat Lady 1’, is a mixed medium of charcoal drawing and digital compositing. The model, Olesya, is a muse and fellow cat person in Russia. These collaborations have helped apprise me of the needs of cat rescues abroad.”