Tasting Notes

An aromatic introduction of boysenberry and blackberry, cassis, spice and cocoa bean backed by complex notes of leather, graphite and earth. lt is both delicate and powerful with a brightness on the palate that balances the soft, supple powerful tannins and the weight of a perfectly ripened Cabernet. The mid-palate professes the soft tannins nearly in a seductive gentle voice followed by a balanced finish. A stunning wine early on and as it continues to age.

Vintage

The 2012 growing season was ideal from beginning to end. Spring temperatures were cool with minimal rain and zero frost during budbreak. Two weeks of warm weather in May during bloom, leading to a perfect start. Summer temperatures were very moderate with long days of sunshine with few heat spikes; mornings were foggy neither cold or wet. After the long, gorgeous summer, the harvest was fast and furious, with white and red grapes ripening at the same time. The 2012 is a simply stunning vintage and our highest-quality, highest-yielding vintage to date.

Harvest began in early October with each cluster hand-harvested and hand-selected over 5-days. Initial cold soak was 7 days then into a slow natural fermentation. Duration of fermentations went J 2 days on average. Punch downs 3 times a day depending on the texture during the fermentations. Each lot (clones & varietal) of individually fermented and barreled down. Our Tesserae is introduced at the first racking - barrel by barrel. 20 months of elevage, with 2 rackings in the life of the barrel.