The vintage of 2013-2014 was one of the driest on record, but fortunately there was sufficient rain in late February and early March to fill the ponds and saturate the soil profile. The set and berry development was influenced by another drought year with medium to smallish grapes with intense fruit characteristics and firm tannins from the thicker skins. The otherwise beautiful growing season was punctuated by the August earthquake that shook us up, broke some things and left a crevice through a couple of the vineyards but otherwise left the fruit alone.

RSV’s five organically farmed Carneros vineyards were harvested at night over a period of a few weeks as each reached peak physiological ripeness and delivered to the cellar in peak form where they were fermented using native yeast and allowed to rest in French oak in the caves for one year.