A dry winter turned into a wet spring, with over eleven inches of rain in March that filled the vineyard soils to field capacity. What ensued was a ‘perfect’ growing season, with even budbreak, beautiful weather at bloom, and fruit set that produced a bountiful crop. The full-sized clusters across the Eisele Vineyard completed veraison by mid-July, and flavor intensity developed steadily throughout the summer. Warm days and cool nights over the length of the growing season resulted in daily temperature swings of up to 50 degrees, and these variances allowed the tannins to ripen harmoniously, while sugar levels increased slowly through a cooler than average September.Harvest of the Bordeaux varietals began on September 22nd, and three days of moderate heat at the start of October set the stage for the final pick of Eisele Cabernet on the 16th. All clusters were hand-picked in prime condition in the cool morning hours, resulting in one of the finest expressions of Eisele Vineyard terroir in what will be remembered as an exceptional vintage.Tasting NotesTechnical Director Helene Mingot notes “This Altagracia is a generous wine reflecting the exceptional quality of the vintage. The 2012 vintage is balanced and harmonious, offering beautiful ripeness with no excess. The wine reflects the character of the eastern parcels of the Eisele Vineyard, and its fine-grained tannins provide a perfect foil for the intensity and richness of the layered fruit.”Grape Source71% Cabernet Sauvignon 11% Petit Verdot 8% Cabernet Franc 6% Merlot4% MalbecNapa ValleyProduction & Technical DataAlcohol: 14.8% Total Acid: 5.9 g/L pH: 3.8Release date: March 4, 2015
