The ripening from spring through early summer 2006 was slow and steady. Warm weather during the first 2 weeks of August indicated that we were in for an early harvest, but the cooler weather during the second half of August slowed down maturation and was ideal for the Sauvignon Blanc. We harvested for maturation over only three nights with the various vineyard blocks giving us the breadth of fruit profile.
Our traditional night harvesting during the cool of the early morning helps to retain the vibrant Sauvignon Blanc aromas and flavors. Coupling this with “skin contacting” the fruit for up to 24 hours before pressing amplified the intense fruit flavors from our Rutherford vineyard. The juice was fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks over four to five weeks with selected yeasts that further enhanced the flavors. After racking and blending, the wine was bottled at Napa Wine Company (custom crush facility) in March 2007 using Stelvin screw cap closures.
