WINEMAKING

Our farming and wine-making practices are rooted in a passionate pursuit of quality with attention to every detail. The vineyard's combination of volcanic ash and gravelly loam creates a sparse, well-drained soil that permits us to nurture a smaller than average crop of superior, intensly concentrated, small-berried fruit. Additionally, the unique micro-climate of Howell Mountain ensures a more moderate growing season. This gives us the opportunity to have the highly sought after "hang time" that insures we achieve the full physiological ripeness needed to create complex, luscious wines.

At harvest, we hand-pick the grapes, from individual vineyard blocks, into small five-pound trays to maintain the integrity of each berry, prior to crushing. These small lots are fermented individually, and kept separate throughout the duration of the aging process in order to capture and preserve the unique characteristics of each vineyard block (the terroir). The final step is the winemaker's art of blending the individual barrels into the most delicious and complex wine of that vintage. The wine is then further aged in barrel to let these complexities meld into the exceptional wines we are renowned for before capturing that beauty in the bottle.

Our ultra premium French oak barrel aging program is a key component of our wine, giving gentle structure and spice, while allowing the fruit to shine through and create a wine that is very age-worthy, yet silky upon release. Sustainable farming, careful harvesting and gentle winemaking all combine to create consistently well-made wines that are true expressions of our unique site within this prestigious appellation.

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