After a winter above normal rainfall, spring was the driest on record. This was the second dry year in a row. April was punctuated by the worst frosts in several decades. Multi-days heat spike brought early season temperature into the triple digits. Dry winds during bloom and berry set led to reduced yield. Mother Nature’s improved as summer progressed. The steady warm temperatures provided good ripening and harvest conditions. The temperature in September was cooler than normal and finally the Indian summer arrived in October bringing good flavor and color development across the board. 2008 vintage was unique for its erratic weather but splendid for its quality.

The wine shows and extraordinary aromatic finesse, a tannic richness well structure and a dense and tight-knit texture. The smooth finish is very long, fresh, lively and packed with flavor. Balance, grace and purity are the pedigree of 2008 Portfolio limited edition. The wine will cellar well for many decades.