Season

This was a classic Virginia vintage with normal rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures. Spring began cool which delayed bud break and summer also started rather cool but gradually warmed to normal Virginia summertime temperatures. Just in time for veraison and ripening, August was hot and dry, followed by a dry September and near dry October. In early October the remnants of hurricane Tammy left 4.5 inches of rain. After about two weeks, the vineyard dried, the grapes were harvested on October 21, 2005.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and then double sorted, (pre-destemming and post-destemming), to remove unripe pink berries and stem fragments. Fermentation began naturally in small one ton bins and punch downs occurred one to two times per day. Pressing took place about 7-10 days later, before fermentation had finished. This wine aged in new and old French, Hungarian, and Virginia oak barrels for 28 months. Unfined and unfiltered.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Production

73 cases

Aging Potential

2010 – 2015

Season

2007 can be classified as extraordinary. After a mild winter, spring was cool with normal rainfall amounts. Beginning with flowering on May 30 and extending just past the last day of harvest on October 20, we experienced much below normal rainfall and average to above average temperatures. It was especially warm and dry during the critical ripening months of September and October.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre and post destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 3 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. The wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted for 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In August of 2008, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled on February 6, 2009.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Production

53 cases

Aging Potential

2009 – 2020

Season

2010 was an extraordinary winegrowing year in Virginia. High heat and extremely dry conditions prevailed throughout the growing season. Add in an early bud break and no season-ending tropical storms, we enjoyed a long growing season which in turn allowed our red grapes time to attain ultimate and full ripeness. Very light leaf pulling was performed this vintage to slow down berry development and to protect the clusters from the blistering summer heat. These are hedonistic wines.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre and post destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. After 2 weeks maceration, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted for 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In August of 2011, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled in July 2012.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Production

60 cases

Aging Potential

2013 – 2030

Season

2011 was a fine growing season, but September was one of the wettest months ever. Fortunately, October was much drier and Petit Manseng grapes, with their thick skins and loose cluster composition, handles rain quite well. Bud break occurred normally, around mid-April and flowering too was normal, around the first of June. Summer temperatures were normal, with some hot days and some cool ones. Rainfall was normal for most of the summer, turning very dry in August just before harvest. On August 25, 1.5 inches of rain fell from the remnants of Hurricane Irene. Then on September 4th the onslaught of Tropical storm Lee began, bringing 5 inches of rain and the rains did not stop for another 30 days.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre- and post-destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. After 1 week maceration, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted for 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In March of 2012, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled in July 2012.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Production

37 cases

Aging Potential

2013 – 2020

Season

2012 was an excellent year for growing grapes in Virginia. It was reminiscent of the stellar 2009 vintage. Bud break occurred very early, around the last couple days of March. Flowering was also early, at the end of May. Summer temperatures were normal, with some hot days and some cool ones. Rainfall was rather low for most of the summer, turning very dry in August just before harvest. A couple of minor rain events occurred in late August and early September but after these moments past, the rest of harvest was beautifully dry, sunny and warm during the days and very cool and crisp during the nighttime hours. Harvest began in late September and lasted through the middle of October.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre- and post-destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. After 2 weeks maceration, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted for 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In August of 2013, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled in July 2014.

Varietals

Production50 cases

Aging Potential

2015 – 2027

Season

2013 consisted of a troublesome growing season and a beautiful ripening and harvest season. The spring and early summer months were warm and wet resulting in the vines growing wildly and rapid. This, in turn, caused us to work long and rapidly just to keep up. But by mid-August and through October the rains ceased and the vines stopped growing and put their energies into ripening their fruit. There were no tropical systems in our area and we enjoyed many sunny and warm days and very cool crisp nights. Harvest began in late September and lasted through the middle of October. Harvest began in late September and lasted through the middle of October.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre- and post-destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. After 2 weeks maceration, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted for 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In August of 2014, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled in July 2015.

Varietals

Production125 cases

Aging Potential

2016 – 2027

Season

Following an extremely cold winter, spring was wet and cool and the first half of summer was wet and hot. In August the rains stopped and we enjoyed a relatively dry and warm harvest with no tropical storms moving through our area. Harvest began in late September and lasted through the middle of October.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked and chilled overnight. A double sorting, (pre and post destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled one-ton fermenter bins and were cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 7-10 days with 2 cap punch downs each day. After 2 weeks maceration, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and racked into barrels the next morning. The barrels were inoculated with a malolactic culture and this fermentation lasted from 30-60 days. Once ML fermentation was complete the wine was racked out of the fermentation room back into the barrel room and allowed to rest. In August of 2015, the wine was transferred from primarily new French oak barrels to older, neutral barrels for further aging. Unfined and unfiltered, it was bottled in July 2016.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Production

97 cases

Aging Potential

2018 – 2030

Winemaking

Harvested on September 28 from two one-half acre blocks planted in 1997 and 2004. The wine is dark, rich, tannic, and intense. After a total of 20 months in barrel, the wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined in July 2017.

Varietals

100% Petit Verdot

Aging Potential

2020 – 2036