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Tasting Notes

This summery, Rhone-inspired blend of Estate whites is playfully expressive, yet elegant in its complex tropical bouquet hinting of hibiscus, passion fruit, and honey. The lively body introduces unique notes of orange zest and vanilla-cream, backed by a quenching palate of ripe melon. The silky finish extends with help from a refreshingly tart, green apple acidity.

Vintage Notes

2018 provided an ideal climate allowing time for the grapes to ripen to their optimum flavor structure. The year presented a fairly mild growing season with few heat spikes, inspiring winemakers to push harvest back a few weeks. This longer time on the vine was great for grapes and the mild temperatures kept the fruit from over-ripening. More than an inch of rain fell in early October in many locations, but there was little impact on the quality of the fruit. 2018 could be remembered as one of the longest and most desirable seasons in years, producing exceptional quality grapes throughout Sonoma County.

Vineyard Notes

Each of the grape varieties for this classic Rhone-inspired blend comes from our Certified Sustainable Wild Oak Estate Vineyard planted at the base of Sugarloaf Ridge and Hood Mountain in Sonoma Valley. The rock and gravel that have washed down over the centuries provide ideal soil conditions for small yields of concentrated fruit. Sonoma Valley’s cool evenings and warm afternoons allow the fruit to develop intense flavors and aromas while maintaining high acidity.

Winemaker Notes

Naturally flavorful off the vine, the grapes for this cuvée (French for blend) are picked in the early morning hours to retain their delicate flavors and aromas and sent immediately to press. The Marsanne goes into a tank by itself while the Roussanne and Viognier are co-fermented. After a slow, cool fermentation in temperature-controlled tanks, the wines are aged in neutral French oak barrels for seven months before bottling.