This wine is made from unblended, 100% estate-grown, cellared,
and bottled grapes and repeats the success of the 2002. Lovely
garnet color. In the nose, raspberry jam, cranberries, and a
touch of
cloves
and
white
pepper.
The
wine has as bright mouth-feel with cherries, raspberries, brown
spices and the inherent briar that distinguishes Cabernet Franc.
The finish lingers pleasantly. A wonderfully versatile wine that
pairs nicely with a wide range of foods, including poultry, pork,
lamb, and even some beef entrees!
The Vintage
The ’03 growing season was wetter than normal by 23%,
with 36 inches for the season: 24" in November and December,
plus less than 4" in January and February, leading into
an early spring. A cold and wet April, however, delayed budbreak
and fruitset; nonetheless, the weather turned hot in September
and we began harvest mid-month.
Fermentation and Aging
The grapes were picked by hand in multiple lots, destemmed,
and fermented in small lots with hand punch down four times a
day. After pressing, the wine went through malolactic fermentation
and 10 months of French oak barrel aging. 504 cases were bottled
in August 2004.
The Vineyard
Our five acres of Cabernet Franc vines date back to the original
stock brought to our “Chaine d’Or” region by
French settler and grape expert Pierre C. Pourroy around the turn
of the century. The Pourroy property became Congress Springs
Winery, as it was known until recent changes of ownership.
Our vines were planted in 1985 with cuttings from Congress Springs
on west-facing slopes at the western edge of our property.
