PRODUCER_BIO: L'Ecole No. 41
Walla Walla Valley
Over 35 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are fundamental to the quality of their wines and reputation for excellence. They are engaged in growing and making 100% of our wines. Each lot was hand-harvested ripe and gently crushed into 1.5 ton stainless steel fermenters. Gentle handling of the fruit through hand punch downs and gravity assisted movements were utilized throughout the entire winemaking process. The wine was cleanly racked to small French oak barrels, 35% new, with four rackings over 18 months.
VINTAGE NOTES
Perfectly dry harvest weather extended hang-time resulting in rich color and vibrant fruit flavors, another great vintage for Washington State.
A late bud-break in mid-April was followed by a warm May with rapid canopy growth. A quick, even bloom set a uniform crop. A cool June contributed to healthy berry growth.
July and early August were warm, with occasional heat spikes. Canopies were managed to avoid sunburn and irrigation was micromanaged. Intense cluster thinning was required to control yields.
Veraison tracked 2017 in Walla Walla and was slightly ahead in other regions of the state. A brief rainfall shifted early September into cooler weather leading to two months of near-perfect weather conditions for final fruit maturity.
Higher sugars were balanced against higher acid levels and wonderfully intense color and tannin extraction, big fruit flavors, and overall balanced structure. Another strong Washington vintage.
