Varietal
Malbec, one of the classic red Bordeaux grapes, is an early ripener that yields soft wines of low acidity, moderate tannins, good color and fruit flavors reminiscent of blueberries. Malbec’s popularity continues to grow as enthusiasts discover its lushness and age ability.

Vintage
The season began on a wet note - we got almost a year's average rainfall in December 2002 – but an unseasonably warm spring gave us an early bud break in March. The vines began to grow and the weather turned cold and wet again in April; depending on location we had rain between 20 to 26 days of the month. This cool overcast weather virtually stopped vine growth and filled the soil with water. As it turned out, April rains and soil moisture ended up being the big story of 2003. Warm weather in May got things going again with explosive growth, then June cooled off and it became apparent that it was going to be a late harvest. There were rumblings about similarities with 1998, but with record heat in July, the situation looked hopeful. August cooled some but brought a tropical weather pattern and the fear of rain. The weather warmed in late September and it became a challenge to control sugars while waiting for flavor maturity. Once harvest began in mid-September, but thanks to a cooling trend, we were able to bring in fruit with great ripeness and maturity through October. 2003 was unique and, weather-wise all over the board. But we got what we needed at critical times and most varietals fared beautifully.

Vinification
The fruit was fermented in small, open top bins and punched down by hand while fruit from Rolling Knolls was fermented in a pumpover tank. The wines were pressed at dryness and then placed in a combination of 2 and 3 year old French oak barrels for 19 months. The final wine was blended and bottled in August of 2004. Alcohol 14.5%, TA .6, pH 3.87, Residual sugar .05.

Tasting Notes
JUST RELEASED! This bottling is classic Malbec: darkly colored, very distinct in aroma and flavor (dark plum, blueberry, tobacco, sweet pepper), fleshy in texture, and long on the finish. It is mildly oaky, and well balanced.

< Back