Winemaker Notes:
This wine reminds me of the elegance of the old world.
Initially there are some bold fruit notes of raspberry, blueberry, cranberry,
which then flow towards figs and plums.
Next to the fruit is a black truffle note with just a touch of spice that
complements some forest floor earthiness.
The oak is very nicely integrated with the wine and offers some vanilla,
cocoa, and graphite nuances. The
mouthfeel is expressive with firm tannins and a fruit forward finish. Overall, the wine is well balanced with many nuances
complementing each other.
Vintage:
Starting with a mild winter we rolled into an early
spring. In late March we started seeing
temps in the 70’s with just a few cooler days to follow. The spring conditions led to excellent fruit
set and ultimately a bountiful crop. The
summer, for Virginia, was very mild with only a few days of hot humid
conditions. The Autumn was particularly
dry with warm days and cool nights. From mid-September to early October, we
experienced very little rain which is invaluable for maturing grapes. I believe the 2019 vintage to be the best I
have experienced in Virginia for my tenure here.
Blend
58% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10%
Tannat
Harvest
The Crown Orchard Merlot grapes were harvested on 27
September at 22.2 brix, 3.53 pH and 4.08 g/L TA. The Lazy Days Petit Verdot, Tannat, and
Merlot were harvested on 7 October 2019 at 27.4 brix, 4.18 pH and 6.36 g/L TA
(field blend). The Mount Juliet Cabernet
Sauvignon was harvested on 17 September 2019 at 22.7 brix, 3.69 pH and 5.35 g/L
TA.
Vineyard Source:
Lazy Days Vineyard, Amherst, VA. – 48% (Petit Verdot,
Tannat, Merlot)
Crown Orchard, Covesville, VA. – 38% (Merlot)
Mount Juliet Vineyards, Crozet, VA – 14% (Cabernet
Sauvignon)
Fermentation
The Crown Orchard Merlot fermented for 6 days in stainless
steel with Malbec Tango Yeast. The Lazy
Days Petit Verdot, Tannat and Merlot were field blended and fermented together
for 6 days in stainless steel with Fermavin A33 Yeast. The Mount Juliet Cabernet Sauvignon fermented
for 5 days in ½ ton macro bins with D254 Yeast.
Aging
24% new French Oak, 7% 1-year French Oak, 4% 1-year
Hungarian Oak, 17% 2-year French Oak, 48% Neutral French Oak
Bottling Date
18 January 2022 –
684 cs
Release Date
March 2022
Technical
Information
12.8% Alc.
3.76 pH
6.09 g/L TA
0.04% RS (Dry)
