WINEMAKER’S NOTES

From the powerful and concentrated 2023 vintage. This wine is deep purple in color with intense aromatics of crème de cassis, black plum, blackberry, dark chocolate, and aged cigar tobacco. Gentle roasted herbal tones add secondary interest to the bouquet. On the palate the substantial tannins are rich and supple and are beautifully framed with crisp acidity. The palate has redolent notes of crème de cassis blackberry, black cherry, espresso, dark chocolate, and forest floor. The finish is elegantly long with notes of crème de cassis, black cherry, and dark chocolate. This is a very well-balanced wine that shows power and intensity. Delicious and hard to resist now, but it should be at its best in 7-9 years and will hold for 15+ years.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 135 hours and a post-fermentation maceration of 97 hours. 100% Native fermentation. The wine was punched down by hand 3 times each day during macerations and fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending. Elevage was 28 months in 40% new French oak and 60% neutral French oak. The wine achieved its sparkly brilliance from 3 judicious rackings, no fining agents were employed. The wine was very gently filtered using crossflow filtration. The alcohol is 14.8%, pH is 3.76, and the titratable acidity is 6.2 g/L..

CASES PRODUCED   114

VARIETALS   71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot

APPELLATION   DuBrul Vineyard, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard, Summit View, Bacchus Vineyard, Firethorn Vineyard, Columbia Valley