2016 J|R|G

Vintage Notes

Bud break in 2016 was a good two weeks ahead of schedule. This can be a good thing if you are worried about ripening a large crop or it can be problematic if the weather turns nasty during bloom resulting in poor fruit set (reduced crop yield) or even worse, a late spring frost can turn beautiful light green shoots into crispy corn flakes. Luckily, the weather cooperated and we made it to Mother’s Day (the traditional end of “winter” in the Columbia Valley) without any frost events. The rest of the vintage was characterized by very moderate temperatures through June and July and a hot/cool pattern in August. This moderate weather combined with the early start resulted in our earliest harvest-to-date. 2016 is a great year for Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. The JRG is comprised of a large percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as some whole cluster fermented Merlot and a little Petit Verdot, which serve to fill out the 3rd quarter of the palate. The 2016 wines have the tannin density of the 2012, the concentration of the 2013 and the fruit purity of the 2015. I can’t wait to see how these wines develop over the next 20 years.