This wine is made from unblended, 100% estate-grown, cellared,
and bottled grapes. The color is golden straw. The nose evokes
honeysuckle, peaches, a note of the tropics. In the month, honey,
white peaches, violets, lemon drops, and mangoes. The finish
is sunny and bright, lingering like the colors of a summer sunset.
Start with it well-chilled and enjoy!
The rainfall for 2005-2006 was 38.9 inches, about 34% above
average. Early rain in November and December gave the plants
a good start for wintering. Had a cold spell in mid-February,
but the Viognier was fine. Heavy March rains continued into April,
giving the vineyard a good watering up to middle spring. A 100+
heat spell in early July followed by a cooler than average summer
ensured fruit ripening and long hang time before harvest.
Fermentation and Aging
Picked by hand and whole cluster pressed a few hours later.
The juice was settled overnight, racked to a single stainless
steel tank for fermentation, then to neutral French oak for 10
months of aging. 287 cases were bottle in July 2007. The wine was
released in April 2008
The Vineyard
Two acres of Viognier planted in our Finley Vineyard in 1999.
Finely, named after early settlers, is a 7-acre vineyard in the
estern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The unirrigated, south-facing
vineyard is on a knoll with soils that change from gravel to shallow
clay as the vineyard descends from 800 to 750 feet.
