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	BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES: 100% Napa Syrah from estate-grown grapes (69%) and independent growers (31%). WINEMAKING DATA: Grapes were harvested between October 5 and 27 at an average 24.4° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 20 months in a combination of two-to-three-year-old French oak barrels (70%), and new French oak (30%). The wine was subsequently blended and bottled on July 16, 2002. A long, slow growing season permitted near-ideal ripening of the grape crop up until mid-October, when a cooling trend swept through the North Coast and slowed development of the maturing fruit. Rainstorms at the end of the month further delayed harvest, and extra selective picking was required for grapes which were still on the vine when the rains set in. The majority of our Syrah came in prior to the storms, and the wine is medium-bodied with a floral, white pepper nose, concentrated plum and black cherry flavors, and a rich, lingering finish.
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