Vintage Notes
The 2018 growing season started with a cool spring with significantly higher than average frost hours (a measurement of hours below 36 F), which led to a late bud break. The growing season was also unique in terms of GDD (growing degree days), with 14% fewer on average than 2017. The cooler mild conditions and lack of extreme heat spikes combined to create an extended growing season and measured pace to harvest which resulted a high-quality, elegant crop with brighter acids and notes of cranberry, pomegranate and tart cherry.
Winemaker Notes
The fruit for our 2018 vintage was harvested from September 15th to October 15th. The grapes were hand-picked at night, carefully sorted in the vineyard, then brought to the cellar and de-stemmed. This meticulous care taken in the vineyard by Vineyard Manager Gustavo Alvina and his crew delivered bright, ripe fruit, with substantial mouthfeel and complexity. Following a cold soak, a high-temperature fermentation occurred to ensure maximum flavor and color extraction. The wine was racked to 30-percent new American oak barrels and aged for 18 months prior to bottling. 70% was aged in neutral French Oak to maintain the freshness and elegance of the vintage.
