Ninety percent of the blend was barrel-fermented in French oak barrels, a third of them new, while the remainder was fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks. Eighty percent of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. That combination of oak/stainless and partial ML has resulted in a wine that is fleshy and rich yet retains a nice freshness. The wine displays flavors of pear and pineapple, accented by some toasty oak.
The aromas exhibit bright essences of red cherry and cranberry. On the palate we find pure, intense red fruit flavors and subtle spice notes, supported by a crisp refreshing finish. For this wine, we prefer to limit the amount of new oak barrels in order to feature the fruit expression of these special vineyards.