Deep, dark fruit – dark ripe cherry, blackberry and blackcurrants with a subtle Madagascar vanilla bean topped with a pillowy-soft toasted marshmallow. Smores in a glass. All you need is a bear rug. Dark cherry and blackberry glide across your palate in its refined yet resilient structure with a smooth and tasty dark chocolate finish. No bears were harmed during this tasting.

2018 was a seamless season of heavenly hangtime and phenomenal phenolic development. February saw abundant rains, followed by lots of filtered light in spring and early summer. Both bud break and flowering occurred a bit late, but under ideal weather conditions, creating plentiful and even fruit set. Summer brought generous sun during the day and cooler marine influences, virtually uninterrupted by major heat spikes. The relatively mild summer followed by extended fall sunshine and moderate heat created near-ideal conditions for winemakers to allow their fruit to accumulate flavor complexity with gradual increases in sugar levels.