Winemaker Notes:
A big sumptuous wine with a deep rich color and laden with
ripe berries, cherry and a hint of some dried fruits. Beside the fruit aspect there is a wonderful
cocoa and cinnamon spice nuance that play well together. A little bit of vanilla comes through along
with a touch of tea and cola. The
tannins and oak are well suited to the weight of the wine and aid in the
overall balance and intensity. The wine
has a nice bright aspect on the pallet that turns to a rich creamy finish. This wine will age very well. However, if you are like me and desire to age
your wine in your stomach then at least decant and let the wine breath a couple
hours. I am very happy with this wine!
Vintage:
The 2015 vintage had some scary moments but ultimately we
came through unscathed. Some low temps
in early Spring had us all concerned about frost. Additionally we also saw some heavy rains in
the early spring keeping the viticulture team on their toes. The summer came on with little rain and
average temperatures for the state. The
rain then came back with a vengeance in late September to early October. Overall though the growing season was long
and did allow for good ripening.
Determining the best day to pick was the key to success. I think we will see some good wines from Virginia
vineyards for 2015
Blend
75% Tannat, 25% Petit Verdot
Harvest
The Tannat was picked on 18 Sep at 23.1 brix, 3.54 pH and
6.74 TA. The Petit Verdot was picked on
02 October at 20.0 brix, 3.59 pH and 9.5 TA.
Vineyard Source:
Mt. Juliet Vineyard, Crozet, Virginia
Fermentation
The Tannat was cold soaked for 6 days then fermented in ½
ton macro bins for 7 days with VRB yeast.
The Petit Verdot was cold soaked for 3 days then fermented in stainless
steel for 6 days with D254 yeast.
Aging
25% New French oak, 12.5% New Hungarian oak, 25% 1 year
French Oak, 12.5% 2 year French Oak, 25% 4 year French Oak.
Bottling Date
30 January 2017 – 193 cases
Release Date
September 2017
Technical
Information
12.10% Alc.
3.90 pH
0.689g/L TA
0.40 RS (dry)
