Production Notes
Varietal Content: 47% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot; Cooperage: 100% French Oak Château-Style Barrels (60 Gallons), 35% new, 65% second vintage
Winemaker Notes
The 2011 vintage yielded a supple expression of our Decoy Red Wine with abundant layers of dark fruit and well-developed tannins. On the nose, layers of blackberry and blueberry mingle with hints of herbs and black olives. The rich fruit notes continue on the palate, and lead to a long, structured finish.
Production
In one of the coolest growing seasons in memory, we benefited greatly in 2011 from our 35 years of experience farming Bordeaux varietals. To counteract uneven vine growth due to unusual spring weather, we did meticulous green thinning. We also gently opened up the canopy to expose the fruit, were judicious in our picking schedule, and sorted meticulously both in the vineyards and winery. The majority of our Merlot came in before the October rains, and due to our quality adjustments the remainder of our fruit fared well until it was harvested. Warm up-valley locations like Oakville, Rutherford, St, Helena and Calistoga were particularly successful, and overall the resulting wines are pure and elegant.