Winemaker Notes:
A very harmonious wine offering gentle fruit notes starting
with strawberry, banana and then goes into some cherry, rhubarb, raspberry and
blueberry. The gentle fruits are
perfectly matched with the soft bouquet of fresh spring flowers with a touch of
clove, nutmeg and honey. There is a soft
citrus peel tone which enhances the other aspects and adds to the structure of
the wine very well. The finish is long
and clean with fresh fruits, flowers and soft spices.
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
Cabernet Franc and Vidal Blanc
Harvest
The Cabernet Franc was harvested on 24 September at 22.3
Brix, 3.88 pH and 3.55g/L TA. The Vidal Blanc
was harvested on 11 September at 22.6 brix, 3.67 pH and 5.05g/L TA.
Vineyard Source:
Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA
Fermentation
The cabernet franc was immediately pressed after harvest (no
extended skin contact) and fermented with Rhone 4600 Yeast in Stainless steel
for approximately 21 days. The Vidal Blanc was fermented in stainless steel at
cooler temperatures for approximately 47 days with BA11 Yeast.
.
Aging
The wine was aged in stainless steel tank.
Bottling Date
20 February 2020 – 1,498 cases
Release Date
May 2020
Technical
Information
13.0% Alc
3.60 pH
6.33g/L TA
0.06% RS (dry)
