Joseph Phelps Vineyards: 2005 Le Mistral

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BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES:
59% Syrah, 23% Grenache, 8% Carignane, 5% Petite Sirah, 5% Alicante Bouschet. Estate-grown fruit from Monterey County comprised 92% of the blend, with the balance supplied by independent growers.

Harvest Dates: Oct. 13 – Oct. 28, 2005

WINEMAKING DATA:
Grapes were harvested at an average 25.5° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged for 13 months in a combination of new French oak barrels (42%) and two-year-old French oak (58%). Coopers were François Frères, Remond, Rosseau, Saury and Ermitage. The wine was blended and bottled in January, 2007.

The 2005 Le Mistral is suffused with aromas and flavors of cocoa, huckleberry compote, spice and plums, followed by a creamy texture and a long, concentrated finish.

WINEMAKING QUOTES:
Robert M. Parker Jr's, The Wine Advocate, 12-26-06

“(89-91) The 2005 Le Mistral . . . offers a blast of berry fruit, pepper, earth and spice, followed by a sweet, expansive, medium to full-bodied palate, and a lush texture. This 2005 should drink well young and evolve for 4-5 years.”