Winemaker Notes

A growing season, slightly warmer than usual, produced uniformly ripe fruit with concentrated flavors and superb acids. The grapes ripened evenly, and were comparable in nature to previous years' fruit - small berry size, intense, flavorful juice, and bright ruby color.

The varietal lots were kept separate during fermentation. All the juice received extended maceration. The various lots went into small open-top fermenters where the cap was punched down three times per day. Juices were fermented using Pasteur Red and Montrachet Yeast for a steady, controlled fermentation.

After crushing and fermentation, the wine went into barrels in early November and aged by separate varietal lots for three months until initial blending at the first racking in January.  Barrels were 40% new and 60% neutral French oak with medium toast. The barrels originated from a region near the center of France. The wine spent an additional 18 months in barrels, during which time it was racked twice. A light filtration occured just prior to bottling on May 22, 2003.

Tasting Notes

Complex aromas of vanilla, herbs, black cherry, brown spice and smoke. Flavors are of sweet oak, herbs, brown spice and smoke.The wine shows medium body, and moderate acidic characteristics.  The finish is long and shows definate spice and red fruits. Like all of our Reflections wines, this wine is intended to age for many years.

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