Summary

Grapes sourced from Truchard Vineyards, 90% 25-year-old vines, 10% 2-year-old vines
Hand harvested September 10 and 14, 2000 at approximately 24.9 degrees Brix
25% whole cluster, 3 day soak, 8 day fermentation, 19 day post-fermentation maceration
70% new and 30% 1-year-old French oak barrels, aged for 12 months in barrel
280 cases produced
Retail price $32.00

Vineyards and Winemaking

The fruit for this wine came from two different blocks of the Truchard vineyard. The oldest block, planted over twenty five years ago, is naturally balanced and provides scanty amounts of fruit that contribute structure and elegance to the wine. This vintage was the second bearing year for a young block of vines of various clones, including the highly-regarded Dijon clones imported from Burgundy. The highly exposed fruit produced a wine with fruity, youthful exuberance that melded beautifully into the blend.

Budbreak, flowering, and fruit set all started earlier than normal, setting the stage for potentially early harvest with abundant fruit. Consciencious thinning was required to balance yield, and the timing of harvest slid into its normal time frame as relatively cool days prevailed. The two blocks were picked in a five day period in mid-September. The grapes were simply destemmed with approximately 25% retained as whole clusters, then left to soak prior to the start of a native yeast fermentation. Part way through, a small amount of a commercial yeast strain was introduced to ensure completion of the process. After extended maceration and pressing, the wine completed malolactic fermentation in new and one-year-old French oak barrels, where it aged for twelve months prior to bottling. Production was only 280 cases.

Tasting Notes

Inviting aromas of brambles and spice lure you into taking the first sip. A soft entry filled with bright cherry fruit unfolds to reveal a mid-palate sweet spot characteristic of fully ripened fruit. Hints of leather and earth intermingled with a beautifully silky texture suggest Burgundian origins. This is a great food wine, finishing with spice and slightly grippy fine-grained, high-quality tannins.