HARVESTED: October 3rd – 23rd, 2022
VINEYARD: Santa Cruz Mountains
SOILS: loamy clay
BOTTLED: April 2024, 375 cases
COMPOSITION: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ALCOHOL: 13.8%
WINEMAKER: Andrew Vingiello
VINEYARD MANAGER: Thayer Dunwoody
VINTAGE NOTES
The 2022 vintage started with a chilly and dry winter although, fortunately, there had been considerable rainfall late in the previous year which helped saturate soils. Spring remained chilly and dry until late March when rains developed for a few weeks into April while warmer temperatures prompted an earlier budbreak. The continued severe drought had a predictable (and not bad) effect: the berries themselves were smaller, which generally means smaller crops, smaller clusters but concentrated, high-quality wines. The post-veraison period was warm but mostly moderated, until September when a heat spell set in. Fruit continued to develop evenly until reaching phenolic ripeness. Vintages of such magnitude generally deliver wines with great transparency to the vineyard.
WINEMAKING NOTES
Grape clusters were hand picked, destemmed, sorted, and fermented in small 1-2 ton lots. Left on skins for an average of two weeks and punched down manually twice a day before gently pressing to French Oak (15% new). Aged in barrel for 18 months with regular topping and careful SO2 management for optimal expression of Santa Cruz Mountains terroir. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
TASTING NOTES
Ripe blackberry and cherry fruit entry, full bodied, rich textures, exotic spice and toasted oak. Bold notes of cassis, blueberry, cola, plum and sweet oak. Mid palate is layered velvet and structured with a lively acid, fruit driven profile. Complex, long, and textured yet refined finish.
CELLARING
Enjoy now or over the next 5-7 years.