Vintage Summary

The 2015 growing season started off with another winter of below average rainfall and warmer temperatures due to the growing El Nino conditions. This resulted in another consecutive year with early bud-break, around the end of March. Spring progressed quickly, and the warm temperatures during flowering achieved great fruit set, although the drought finally took its toll on the yield. As the summer progressed, oceanic temperatures rose rapidly along CA coast, which resulted in decreased foggy conditions, and overall a warmer summer season. The El Nino conditions coupled with the ongoing drought combined to produce a much lower yield than 2013 and 2014, however the resulting wines produced have incredible concentration. The grapes were harvested on September 2nd.

Winemaking

The grapes were picked by hand and clusters infected with noble rot were separated in the vineyard. At the winery the grapes were given six hours of whole cluster maceration to extract tannins, aroma, and flavor compounds in the skins, followed by pressing the grapes.  No sulfur was added to allow the juice to oxidize slightly.  After a 36 hour cold settle in tank, the clean juice was racked off the solids to another tank for spontaneous fermentation.  The botrytis juice was pressed and vinified separately. The wine was sulfured post completion of secondary fermentation with elevage in neutral puncheons on fine lees. Racked to tank two weeks prior to bottling to blend with the botrytis wine. Unfined and unfiltered. The only addition we ever use is sulfur.  Bottled June 4th, 2016. 42 cases produced.

Wine Stats

Brix at harvest: 20.2/23.9

Titratable Acidity: 7.7 g/L

pH: 3.11

Residual Sugar: 0.5 g/L

Alcohol: 12.3%