Vineyard Notes
This wine was sourced exclusively from the three best blocks in the Schmidt Ranch Vineyard, located on benchland in Oakville on the western side of the Valley, along the Mayacamas Mountains. The well-drained alluvial soils produced a small crop of very intense, concentrated fruit.
Winemaker Notes
The aroma is dominated by ripe black currant, anise and blackberry. In the mouth this wine speaks with considerable authority. The first impression is one of sweet fruit and sumptuous tannins, leading to a very silky, firm texture in the mid-palate. The wine is very long in the mouth, with a finish that is thick, supremely wellbalanced, with layer upon layer of deep, dark cassis and espresso, coupled with sweet oak in the background. Drinks quite nicely now and will continue to age gracefully through at least 2018.
