2018 was another dry, but not particularly warm winter. This changed in early February. A system of high pressure brought daytime temperatures into the 70’s, warming the dry soil and initiating bud break in the earlier sections of some of our vineyard sites. In March, an artic cold front settled in and brought nighttime temperatures down to freezing, risking frost damage to the new shoot growth. These ‘false’ springs, with record high temperatures have become much more common in recent years.

The Summer was mostly mild, leading to a normal to later harvest than other recent vintages. The wines are poised and complex with depth and structure. Yields were low due to the early spring, concentrating the wines and leading us to believe they have a long life ahead.

"Winemaker Nathan Kandler may have found an ideal New World location for this famous Piedmontese grape at 2,150 feet up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This bottling's nose offers dried strawberry, rosewater and brown spice aromas, with a sanguine line throughout. The palate begins very tense, with a crushed-rock minerality wrapping around lingering cranberry and pomegranate flavors." - Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast 95 points