VINEYARD

The Newtons purchased the Spring Mountain property in 1977. Working with almost 500 acres of mountainous and heavily forested terrain, they planted a 73-acre vineyard—approximately 6 acres of which was Cabernet Franc. Our Cabernet Franc was planted on a terraced slope at an altitude of 500 ft, facing northeast. This setup ensures that the variety grows in a cooler environment, avoiding direct sunlight in the afternoon, and allowing the Cabernet Franc fruit to develop elegance and depth. The soils are characterized by a complex combination of both sedimentary and volcanic origin, and are moderately fertile and well-drained.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

The 2018 vintage is one to remember. The beginning of the year, particularly February, saw abundant rainfall which moistened the soil and prompted a great start to the vegetative cycle. During spring, the presence of bright daily sunlight without high temperature peaks supported great canopy development. Flowering and fruit set were excellent, though it occurred slightly later than usual due to the mild temperatures. Summer finished the growing season on a high note, boasting plenty of sunlight and mild temperatures from July through October. Phenolic and aromatic ripeness was steady and excellent while sugar accumulation was moderate. The seasonal conditions allowed us to push ripeness longer without exceeding in sugar content, factors that make the wines from this vintage refined, complex and fresh. We started picking Chardonnay September 10th and finished with Cabernet Sauvignon on November 1st.

VINIFICATION

This single block on our Spring Mountain vineyard was handpicked at night to ensure the fruit was cool when it reached the winery. The bunches were hand-sorted and berries were optically selected. We took extra care in utilizing our small cuves throughout the fermentation process, which aided in enhancing the skin contact and gently extracting the polyphenols. The must was fermented in one lot and, after undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrel, was aged was 18 months in 65% French oak. The wine was bottled unfiltered in 2020.