Description
THE CONCEPT OF A CRU (OR ESTATE) HAS ALWAYS EXISTED, BUT TERROIR, A MORE RECENT TERM, IS NOW CONSIDERED OF EVEN GREATER IMPORTANCE. TERROIR EXPLAINS WHY SOME WINES ARE CONSISTENTLY BETTER THAN OTHERS. ALTHOUGH WINEGROWERS OBVIOUSLY LEAVE THEIR MARK AS WELL IN TERMS OF CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND TRADITION, SOME VINEYARDS ALWAYS PRODUCE FINER WINES.
IT COULD BE SAID THAT EMPHASIZING THE CONCEPT OF TERROIR – A COMBINATION OF SOIL CHARACTERISTICS AND MICROCLIMATE – HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES BEST ADAPTED TO THE QUALITIES AND INADEQUACIES OF A GIVEN VINEYARD.
OF COURSE, QUALITY KEEPS PACE WITH AN ESTATE’S REPUTATION IF THE FINEST TERROIR RECEIVES THE BEST CARE. LIKEWISE, MORE MODEST, OR EVEN UNKNOWN ESTATES MAY BE COAXED INTO PRODUCING VERY INTERESTING WINES.
THIS OBSERVATION HAS LED TO SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN VINEYARD MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY CAREFUL PRUNING, LEAF-THINNING, AND BUNCH-THINNING IN ORDER TO FINE-TUNE YIELDS AND PROMOTE PERFECT RIPENING. SOILS AND VINES ARE BETTER UNDERSTOOD, AND WINEGROWERS HAVE INCREASINGLY BECOME ADEPTS OF REDUCED FERTILIZER USE, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, WELL-ADAPTED TRELLISSING METHODS, SELECTING THE BEST ROOTSTOCK, ETC. ALL THESE EFFORTS ARE AIMED AT A SINGLE RESULT: IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE GRAPES, IRRESPECTIVE OF VINEYARD LOCATION. WINE QUALITY DEPENDS ON GRAPE QUALITY, WHICH MUST IN TURN BE RETAINED AND ENHANCED BY EVERY OPERATION IN THE WINEMAKING AND AGING PROCESS.
Tasting notes
Beautiful cedar with touches of dark chocolate, spices like cinnamon, thyme, paprika lingering on plum, cassis and coconut, clay. On the palate it is fresh but velvety entrance lingering on fine tannins and acidity with touches of boysenberries, starfruit, cherries, violet & raspberries.
Michel Rolland is a wine world superstar who has been working with our winemaker Jean Hoefliger since the 2006 vintage to create world class wines. With one of the world’s most famous palates, Rolland brings his extraordinary expertise to both the vineyard and the cellar. Besides consulting for highly regarded wineries around the world, Rolland continues to produce his own wines at his estates in Bordeaux where he also directs one of the wine industry’s most respected laboratories. A major force in the winemaking world, his expressed mission is to help others make elegant, approachable wines.
Vinification
Fermentation: 100% barrel fermented
Aging: 18 months, 100% French Oak, 75% New
Vineyards: To Kalon, Missouri Hopper, Dr.Crane, Stagecoach
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