2003 Pepper Bridge Vineyard

 

• For a printer-friendly version of these notes without price, click here.

Winemaker Notes

Our goal with the single vineyard program is to showcase the character of each estate vineyard. The Pepper Bridge Vineyard sits in the middle of the Walla Walla Valley with an annual rainfall of 12 inches.

This intense, dark and powerful wine is crafted around copious black fruit flavors. Blackberries, cassis, black cherries, flowers, sage, nuances of chocolate, nutmeg and spices can be detected in this very complex aroma. This expansive wine offers an incredible blend of power and finesse with a long and persistent finish. We aged this wine for 22 months in 76% new French Oak barrels.

The 2003 Vintage

Although the Walla Walla Valley's 2003 growing season was one of the warmest and driest in the past decade, our estate-vineyard grapes thrived. During the long, warm days, the grapes savored the sun and ripened to ideal sugar levels. Cool nights locked in acidity, creating well-balanced flavors. Our wines from this vintage are expressive and concentrated with silky tannins.

- Jean-François Pellet, Winemaker

Wine Specifics

Varietal(s): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28 % Merlot, 3% Malbec

Vineyard(s): 100% Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Appellation: 100% Walla Walla Valley

Oak Program: 76% new oak, 24% used oak; 100% French Oak

Time in Barrels: 22 months

Harvest Date(s): September 28 through October 7, 2003

Brix at Harvest: 25.6

Total Acidity: 0.59 g/ml

pH: 3.72

Finished Alcohol: 13.9% by volume

Total Production: 240 (9-liter cases)

Bottling Date: July 27, 2005

Release Date: June 12, 2006