1999

The vintage conditions in 1999 were challenging, with a long, cool summer followed by a very warm and dry September prior to harvest. We worked with the vineyards to maximize the quality, but in the end we opted to declassify almost 35 percent of our total crop, and we used much of it to craft 985 cases of the Red Table Wine. This blend of 82 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Cabernet Franc, and 8 percent Merlot was sourced from younger vines and from established vineyard blocks in the Klipsun, Hedges, Ciel du Cheval, Champoux, and Tapteil vineyards.

Upon release, it showed a broad, complex range of flavors, including intense black cherries and a streak of minerality backed by cedar, smoke, and spices. Its nice balance of tannin and acidity melds with the flavor components, and gives us this medium-bodied, grippy wine with ripe fruit.

Paul Golitzin, Director of Winemaking