2004
Mitsuko's Vineyard Merlot
Clos Pegase
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2004 was certainly the earliest season of the past decade, coming in even earlier than 1997. The typical mid-March timing of budbreak told us little of the future: the following glorious seven weeks of warm dry weather in spring saw bloom and set on our vines fully four weeks ahead of average. This continued through a classic warm summer to harvest in mid September – two weeks earlier than average, and of excellent quality and concentration, though meager yields. fermentation was with the natural yeast, giving us complexity in flavor and a sense of ‘place’ from the vineyard indigenous yeasts. Our extraction regime encompasses 1/3 extended skin contact for intensity, 1/3 drain and return (delestage) for extraction, and 1/3 early press to retain the vibrant fruit. The 2004 wine was racked and blended in the spring of 2005, and racked again to build structure in the summer of that year. In February 2006 the wine was racked up to tank to prepare for bottling. Total elevage was completed after 15 months in our caves and the wine was bottled in April of 2006. Dark, jammy cherry and blackberry fruit tones dominate the nose, along with plum and hints of toast and savory oak. A broad, rich and ripe entry leads to plenty of vibrant fruit on a full-bodied palate, finishing with balanced, fine tannins.