Notes from the Winemaker: A concentrated yet supple wine with lovely color, rich texture and great length. Notes of black cherry, cedar, brown spice and caramel meld with soft, complex tannins and sweet oak in a seamless journey from the rich mid-palate through the elegantly nuanced finish. Winemaker Jeff Gaffner vinifies each grape lot separately to retain individual block and varietal characters. Once in the cellar, the grapes are de-stemmed and cold soaked for 2-3 days in small fermenters, and then inoculated with a low rate of cultured yeast. Periodic punch downs and pump overs encourage softer extraction at lower alcohol levels. After pressing, the wines are sent to barrel to finish primary and secondary fermentation. Once finished, they are racked off the lees and returned to the same barrels for a total of 24 months aging.
