Tasting Notes:
This vintage is deep ruby in the glass with aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, and a touch of cedar. Across the palate, one finds cherries, purple plums, cassis, and velvety soft tannins. The finish is lovely and long with reminiscence of richly-tanned leather.
Vineyards:
This wine is made with a select blend of estate grown grapes from two vineyards. Valley View Vineyard is three acres planted in 1989. The soils of this south-facing vineyard change from gravel to shallow clay as the steep, terraced vineyard descends from 1,060 to 960 feet. Lone Oak Vineyard is six acres planted in 1991. This slope on this south and west-facing vineyard varies from level on the ridge to 35 degrees. It is trained to quadrilateral double cordon trellising.
Harvest & Cellar:
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 22 months of barrel aging in 30% new French oak. 535 cases of the final blend were bottled in July 2008.
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.