Two extraordinary events bracketed this otherwise tranquil growing season, The first–a fortuitous one–occurred at the end of the previous season, when a rare, heavy rainstorm arrived in October 2021. Eight inches of rain fell in a single day, which enabled our vines to extend and deepen their roots before the December solstice. Early budbreak and even conditions throughout the warmer months contributed in their own way to an early harvest, which began in mid-August. Critically, the remaining fruit arrived in the cellar before the first week of September, allowing us to evade the second unexpected event–a record heat spell that ended months of mild weather.

The freshness and supple roundness of the vintage was immediately apparent in the resulting wine. Earnestly inviting, dark-fruit aromatics are enlivened by lively, impressionistic brushstrokes of spice. The generous entry billows on the mid-palate, accentuating the wine’s textural softness and warmth. This unfolding–almost opulent at first–is woven back into shape and form through the interplay of tannin and acidity, tapering easily into a pure, savory finish.