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	BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES: 37% Grenache, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Syrah, 12% Pinot Noir, 12% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 1% Mourvèdre, 1% Alicante Bouschet HARVEST DATES: Oct. 1-28, 2003 WINEMAKING DATA: Grapes were harvested at an average 24.7° Brix and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The blend was then divided into two lots, with 80% aging 10 months in two- to four-year old French oak barrels and 20% resting in large oak uprights. The lots were blended together and bottled in December, 2004. This approachable red wine offers spicy aromas of clove, nutmeg and vanilla, along with ripe Bing Cherry notes that follow through on the palate. Pastiche is a perfect choice for picnics, barbecue and stews. 2003 VINTAGE NOTES: A cool, wet spring seemed to forecast a vintage that would have difficulty ripening, but July and August were unusually warm without the fog-shrouded mornings typical of Napa Valley summers. Clear skies provided a complete daily dose of solar radiation to the vines and fruit, allowing for good photosynthesis and grape development, and hot weather in mid-September provided additional heat accumulation. After the heat spell broke, it was replaced by near-ideal weather conditions of overcast mornings, warm, sunny afternoons and temperatures in the low to mid eighties. Actual crop harvested was significantly lower than estimates with less than two tons per acre from many vineyards as a result of earlier crop removal to mitigate mildew. Berry size was small with excellent acid balance; and overall quality -- less variable than '02 -- appears excellent.
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