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two pedigreed vineyards, Hendry Ranch and Weitz, each have distinct
terroirs. The grapes they produce vibrate with singular intensity,
which is reflected in the wine.
After walking through the vineyards all season long tasting the grapes and checking the development of fruit and tannins, Genevieve decides the harvest date. The grapes are hand-picked and transported to the winery in small, 35lb. containers, where they are hand-sorted before and after desteming and crushing. During the fermentation process, the cap is gently punch down several times a day, as needed.
During an extended maceration, Genevieve and Luc sample the wine daily, carefully evaluating each lot, noting the evolution of flavor, tannins and mouthfeel before deciding on the appropriate moment to drain and press. The wine is then barreled into 100% new French oak from the forests of Central France. During the 18-month barrel-aging process, the wine is racked several times to achieve good clarity, clean taste and polished tannins. The French oak barrels -- a mix of Taransaud, Radoux, Vicard and Seguin -- add spice, texture and layers of complexity to the fruit-filled wine.
During the entire process, from crushing to bottling, the must and wine are moved with great gentleness by gravity flow, never by pump. Portfolio is bottled by hand at the winery, unfined and unfiltered. Anecdotally, during the aging process the wine enjoys a daily average of two hours of Mozart’s music.
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