2008 Vintage Reserve

Each year, we craft a limited bottling from the most elegant and expressive barrels to showcase the best of the vintage. The 2008 Vintage Reserve is graceful, concentrated and built to last. Intense aromas of cassis and dark black fruit are laced with violets and complex spice. The dense flavors of blueberry, huckleberry and boysenberry are clean and polished, and layered with star anise, dark chocolate and creamy espresso. The beautifully balanced structure give the wine great depth and length, and ensure it will age gracefully up to 20 years from vintage.

Rhinefarm Estate Vineyard; Estate grown, produced and bottled Sustainably farmed; Rhyolitic Ash and Alluvial Wash soils; 150 to 300 feet elevation; Yield 3.5 ton/acre

Vinification: Harvested by hand in five lots; Three-day cold soak; Up to 28 days total skin contact; Yeast strain D254; Extraction through gentle pump-overs, tailored to each lot; Base blend assembled 12 months before bottling; Final blend assembled four weeks before bottling; Oak Regimen: 18 months in 100% French oak, 60% new; Medium-tight grain, medium-plus toast; Primary cooper Vicard

In 2008, there was more springtime frost than usual, but we were lucky enough to not be greatly affected—unlike some of our neighbors. We found ourselves enduring erratic temperatures in May, with heat spikes followed by cool weather and very little rain. June and July brought heat in combination with smoke strewn across Northern California. Luckily, our grapes were not affected by the smoke to our north. While the harvest was busy at first, mid-September brought cooler weather which slowed ripening, allowing us to catch our breath, and finish out the season calmly. The strong 2008 vintage resulted in concentrated wines, full of distinctive character.

646 cases