2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Block LX

All of the grapes for this wine were hand-picked. Then they were de-stemmed, sorted, and pumped into a tank for a five-day cold soak at 50°. When the fermentation began, we pumped over the tank twice per day.  Native yeast fermentation lasted for 16 days, followed by a short heated extended maceration of 3 days. The free run was drained from the tank overnight. The wine was barreled down into 80% new French oak and 20% once used barrels. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in the barrel.  This wine was barrel-aged for 24 months and bottled unfiltered.

The near-perfect 2016 growing season started early, saw ideal weather conditions throughout, and wrapped up as the valley's first significant fall rainstorm arrived on October 14th.  Thanks to a relatively steady and mild July and August and then a series of warm days at the end of the growing season, vineyards could progress to perfect ripeness.  All of the fruit from Block LX was harvested on September 22nd.