Production Notes
Varietal Content: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot; Cooperage: 100% French oak, Chateau-style barrels (60 gallons); Age of Barrels: 100% new
Winemaker Notes
With its signature olive, truffle and wet earth aromas, this wine is unmistakably from Patzimaro Vineyard. The earthy entry leads to a juicy mid-palate where dark fruit flavors mingle with French oak notes of vanilla and sweet spice. Fine-grained tannins add warmth and balance, while enhancing the texture and structure of the wine.
Production
From our first Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blocks to our final red-varietal Estate picks, our 2009 harvest spanned more than two months. Though the 2009 growing season presented certain challenges—from early shatter to late-season rain—a thoughtful response in the vineyards yielded smaller-than-normal crops of high-quality fruit. This response included aggressive leafing, an early thinning protocol and a heavy field sort to select only the most desirable grapes.