The beauty of the later ripening varieties such as these is that during the critical evolution to full ripeness, the autumn like weather has begun. This gives them warm sunny days but those beautiful cool to almost cold nights. Wonderful ripening temperatures. The berries can hang on the vines, not getting so much more sugar ripe necessarily, but allowing those soft yet grainy tannins to develop. Tannins really make the backbone of these wines. The wine is in 100% new French oak and has been bottle aged for 18months before release. The fruit is superb, the oak and grape tannins are integrated, and it is just a rather delicious blend of grapes. As usual just 1 barrel, 289 bottles made. - Maryann Egan