2009 Vintage Winemaker’s Notes
It's funny looking back at the vintage for these two wines. The Seaver property experienced none of the trauma of the hard October 12th rain that plagued Napa Valley. We were wrapped for the year by October 7th before the threat of rain was even a known thing. I can't say we dealt with another property with the same fortunate circumstance. The late May rain that provided much needed drought relief to many sites in the valley simply sheeted off this steep Diamond Mountain vineyard and ripeness proceeded quickly. We thinned all three clones (7, 337 and 191) at least four times due mainly to some intense summer heat but we also had the luxury of an above average size crop. We feel like we've hit a great spot in the maturity of the vineyard and the 2009 GTS shows it off nicely. Blending all the 191 with small bits of 337 and 7, the wine shows ample blue and black fruits balanced for the first time by a minerality that shoots through the whole wine from entry to finish. There’s also an interesting floral component that adds nuance and a bit of give to the hillside structure. Its Diamond Mountain origin is best revealed in its texture, a dense, chewy sensation that almost seems to be more about feel than taste.

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