If it’s true that adversity forges character, then this wine has it in spades. The fruit came off the vines Friday morning, two days before the start of the Tubbs/Nunns Canyon fires that ravaged Sonoma County. We were able to foot-press it, as always, but the fires restricted our access to the winery so the wine fermented in tank instead of in barrels.
For 2017, this wine shows a much deeper color and a more honeyed nose than in past years. Aromas of ripe apricot and orange blossom are accented by chamomile. Ripe apricot continues on the palate, followed by tart lemon and orange peel. The finish is slightly nutty
(macadamia?) with an even slighter note of bergamot.
Richly-flavored and medium-bodied, this is an intense wine. It’s as close to the Rhone-style as we’ve come with this grape.
