2002 Russian River Valley Mondeuse
100% Mondeuse
Within our Two Acres vineyard are 99 vines of Mondeuse. Mondeuse, grown in the Savoie of France, is known for its bracing acidity and tannin. Hence, we always pick and ferment this variety separately, either blending it away or bottling it separately in the years where merited. Such was the case with the 2002, one of our finest to date. We eked out every bit of ripeness we could, picking on November 2nd, just before the first big winter storm of the season. To tame the tannins, we macerated the wine on the skins a whopping 51 days, pressing on December 23rd. Talk about your extended maceration!
Tasting Note:
Medium ruby in color. Pristine aromas of red cherries and iron with a backdrop of black licorice. As seductive as the aromas are, it's the palate of this wine that really turns me on. So silky, so smooth. The creamy texture and savory, Soppressata-like flavors lead to a stunning finish with a lick of tannin, reminding you that this is, after all, Mondeuse. Goes down so easily now but should provide at least a 7 to 8 year window of drinkability from release. (MRO - 6/3/04)