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Next Release June
2008
KATHY’S
CORNER
Cuvée Lollapalooza means just
that…the best of the cellar. So every
year, while I believe I have made the best
choices from vineyard to bottle, there are
only a select few barrels that respond in
a perfect way to any given vintage. From
our Fiddlestix Vineyard, I select only 15%
of the acreage in search of “the best”
of the vineyard. The night harvested grapes
are fermented in small batches to highlight
the unique aspects of each clonal block,
and then aged in French oak designed by
my 5 favorite coopers; each vat has an opportunity
to showcase itself in 4 unique barrels…
and in the end I discover through extensive
tasting less than 10% of the barrels reveal
themselves as “rock stars”
worthy of the Lollapalooza designation.
And to punch the reward, this ’04
Lollapalooza reveals the terrific opulence
that is the calling card of this vintage.
Truly an immediately expressive “wow”
wine!
printable
notes
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THE ESTATE
VINEYARD - FIDDLESTIX
• Located in the heart
of the Santa Rita Hills on Santa Rosa road,
Fiddlestix Vineyard is the confluence of
an exceptional growing environment that
meets the finicky demands of Pinot Noir.
On the north side of a tight east-west running
valley, fog hovers over our vines until
mid-morning, the temperature barely rises
above 75, and the coastal breeze ensures
cool grapes throughout a lengthy day of
sunshine. The soil is well-drained clay
loam loaded with chirt and Monterey shale,
specifically of the Gazos and Botella soil
series.
• Meticulously farmed with
sustainability as the guiding force. Vine
balance is achieved as we devote ourselves
to guardians of the earth.
• The 2004 vintage was unusually
challenging. A 4-day heat spike pushed the
“almost ripe” grapes to full
ripeness across the entire Valley. Grapes
that are typically picked over a six week
period were harvested in a mere 10 days;
picking crews, winery space and sleep came
at a premium!
 •
Harvested September 2-12.
THE WINE
•
2004 evokes memories of a winery unusually
full of fermenting vats, not by increased
volume, but rather by a more concentrated
window of ripe grapes. I can only now reflect
on how, amidst the frantic picking and punching,
experience aided good winemaking decisions
which helped craft this deliciously
expressive wine.
• This cuvée struts a lush
and plush, fruit forward presentation
of Fiddlestix fruit. It is incredibly velvety
and showcases volumes of aromatics and gobs
of dark chocolate coated Bing cherries.
• Clones played less of a role in
expression while coopers and barrel selection
strongly influenced the finesse of this
wine. Aged 16 months in French oak. Held
one year in bottle to allow the pinot charm
to shine in all its glory! Just 350 cases
produced.
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