Well, it’s not just the Irish that are feeling lucky today. Looking at the strong lineup of wines that are ready to offer at this time, we feel quite lucky, indeed. It seems the high points of the last 4 vintages are captured here. We have the warm 2004 vintage captured in a Cabernet Sauvignon, the precision and verve of 2005 expressed in a Pinot Noir, the proper balance between generosity and balance exhibited in our 2006 Zinfandels, and the youthful promises made for 2007 made by our Dry Rosé. It is unusual for a winery to offer new releases from so many vintages, but being a little eccentric seems to be a common descriptor for our operation.
As you have probably noticed, we tend to adjust release dates of our wines according to their developmental needs rather than simply following an annual schedule. This re-shuffling of mailing list releases to match bottling schedules, shipping weather windows, etc. have yielded an embarrassment of riches with this release. It is the result of fine-tuning sources, advances in technique and better understanding the consequences of choices made during the growing season and vinification… probably a good dose of luck factors in as well. One of my favorite sayings is that ‘it is better to be lucky than good.’
This newsletter has gone out a little later than in the past because we are now bottling later than in the earlier days, and I really want to see the wine reassembled in tank before writing this. A sixteen month year would probably help. But unlike daylight savings time changes, it is not likely. In the long run, the wines are better for more barrel time, which is the ultimate goal. However, we must pay the price of having less time to ship them out before warm weather sets in.
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