WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Ripe plum, black cherry and blueberry arise instantly with a swirl of the glass, followed by hints of chocolate, hibiscus, violet and exotic spices. In the mouth, rich, sweet fruit flavors of blackberry, cherry and cassis mingle with underlying touches of clove, vanilla and nutmeg. A slightly smoky, spicy note carries through a long finish.

ACCOLADES
92 A seductive style, very ripe and rich in flavor, with polished texture to carry the smoky, spicy black cherry and dark berry flavors through the long generous finish. Drink now through 2013.

THE VINEYARDS
Originally planted to Chardonnay in 1984, these blocks were grafted over to Dijon Pinot Noir clones in 1998 and 1999. These particular clones, isolated by the University of Dijon from selections in Burgundy, ripen earlier, allowing for more hang time and more concentration of flavor.

WINEMAKING
The grapes were hand harvested and sorted in the field in the early morning hours. The cool grapes were delivered to the winery and de-stemmed and crushed, leaving approximately 40% whole berries. The must was inoculated using yeast isolates from Burgundy and allowed to heat naturally, resulting in a four-day cold maceration and a relatively cool fermentation. The wine was aged in 35% new French oak, 35% once-used French oak barrels and 30% neutral barrels. After ten months of aging the selected lots were blended and the wine returned to barrels for an additional four months of aging to allow the blended wines to marry. The wine was bottled by hand to preserve the elegant aromatics and minimize 'bottling shock'.