The grape clusters are gently crushed to release a small amount of juice to help start fermentation. The wine ferments in steel tanks, but is pressed before it is completely dry; it finishes in oak barrels. During the 14 months of barrel aging, the wine is racked occasionally to help rid it of sediment and to provide oxygen to help the maturation process.
The finished wine is an excellect example of quality Sonoma County Cabernet as well as an expression of the characteristics that make this vineyard and this vintage unique. Renaudin has been making wine for more than 20 years, and knows that sometimes the best thing a winemaker can do to reveal terroir in a wine is to take a minimalist approach that simply respects the grapes.