Winemaker Notes – 95% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot
Dionysus Vineyard, White Bluffs AVA

This is a rather rare style for Petit Verdot. It shows what can be achieved with the
right vineyard and the appropriate attention to detail in the winemaking process.
This wine has finesse, power, complexity, and impeccable balance—a rarity
amongst Petit Verdots. Deep dark purple in color with perfumed notes of violets,
marionberry, mulberry, sandalwood, and dark chocolate. Intense notes of
marionberry, huckleberry, black cherry, roasted herbs, and black licorice on the
palate supported by ripe tannic structure and nervy acidity. Additional nuances of
dark chocolate, incense, espresso, earth, and tar notes appear on the long finish.
The wine is very concentrated with high amounts of dry extract. This wine can be
enjoyed in the next year or two for its youthful exuberance, but 6-8 years of
patience will be generously rewarded with added layers of complexity, will hold
for 12+ years.

Technical Details – the wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 142 hours
and was punched down by hand 3 times each day during macerations and
fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press
fractions, were kept separate until final blending. The oak profile is 30% new
French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 70% neutral French
oak. The wine achieved its sparkly brilliance from 3 judicious rackings, no fining
agents were employed. The wine was very lightly filtered to capture any
remaining lees. The alcohol is 15.1%, pH is 3.72, and the titratable acidity is 6.2
g/L. 82 Cases produced.