Winemaker Notes

A sumptuous, forward flattering wine. This fleshy earthy vintage is impressive. Deep floral notes of rose petal intermingled with bright red cherry, rays of red fruit. Oozing with blackberries, spices and subtle sweet oak intermixed with dark mocha, anise, and a hint of wet stone. Dark red; full body.

A rustic mouthfeel of layers and layers of deep dark fruit. An opulent voluptuous finish nearly conceals the bold tannins. Truly Garden Creek.

Climate and Harvest

2005 began with a wet growing season of moderate temperatures and weather patterns. Steady spring rains established the beginnings of ‘wet feet', where not enough oxygen is able to reach the roots due to oversaturated soil and overly vigorous vine growth. luckily, the vine growth course corrected once the weather dried out and warmer summer temperatures arrived. A real lack of massive heat spikes in August and September led to an extended autumn harvest and one of the longest hang times we can remember.

Anticipating a cooler growing season, we thinned the crop, ultimately resulting in below average yields, and very concentrated, mature fruit with desirable acid retention. Elegant smooth tannins, entwined with rich, earthy black fruit aromas are the result of our 2005 vintage.