This wine is only available by allocation.
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2019 Impassable Mountain
Focus, balance, and depth are hallmarks of this wine. Sweet, aromatic spices envelop red and black fruit on the nose. The palate is refined, sumptuous, and concentrated, revealing layers of sweet dark fruit, marionberry, loganberry, and pomegranate cordial woven with layers of clove, anise, nutmeg, and rose hips. It finishes with black tea, cacao nib, and red chocolate carried on abundant ripe tannins. A serious mouthful, this wine will provide enjoyment as it unfolds for decades to come.
VARIETY: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
VINEYARD: 100% Hidden Ridge Vineyard
PRODUCTION: 320 cases, 300 Magnums, 6 3L bottles
VINEYARD
The vineyard lies within an enclosed valley on steep terraced mountainside slopes with mostly eastern and southern exposures at elevations ranging from 1100 to 1700 feet. The soils are a complex mixture of uplifted alluvium and decomposed volcanic material typical of the Mayacamas Range and vary throughout the vineyard. The lean soils and steep slopes naturally limit vine vigor and give remarkably small-berried fruit. Although the vineyard is usually above the fog and sees warm days, the site is protected from inland heat and receives ocean cooling from early morning and late afternoon breezes that maintain our moderate growing temperatures to somewhat cooler than the Spring Mountain District directly to the east. The extended growing day at moderate temperatures gives the fruit well-developed tannins and rich texture yet preserves the complex fruit characters and natural acidity lost in warmer locations.
VINTAGE
The 2019 growing year began with moderate late Winter and early Spring rains, a relief in perpetual drought struck California. A few heavier rains in May slightly reduced crop size and enhanced vine vigor, which necessitated extra work managing the canopy to ensure properly exposed, well-ripened fruit. The weather warmed in June and held steady and warm, with a few modest heat spikes in August, September, and October. This moderate heat helped drive development and limit berry size, ultimately aiding concentration. Overall, the vintage is very reminiscent of those a decade earlier, showcasing ripe fruit with well-ripened seeds and skins providing abundant color, flavor, texture, and balance.
WINEMAKING:
The vineyard was harvested into nine lots over eleven days, responding to the varying development of different aspects, elevations, and rootstocks. Hand harvested and meticulously sorted; the fruit was allowed to cold soak prior to fermentation and further post-fermentation maceration on the skins for 27 to 41 days, depending on the lot. The wines were pressed to 75% new French oak, where they underwent malolactic fermentation. Individual barrels from select lots were blended for the final cuvee. These wines have been racked a total of three times during elevage and were bottled unfiltered in May of 2022.
