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- First picking date:August 28, 2008
- Duration of harvest:49 days
In 2008 budbreak began very early. There were initial threats of frost but our vineyards, situated on hillsides above the floor of the valley, were fortunately unaffected. The growing season was quite temperate until August when a few stretches of warmer days accelerated ripening, resulting in one of the earliest harvests to date. The wine in its youth is charming: juicy, with soft tannins and hints of spice. The nose is enveloped by ripe black cherries with hints of graphite and baked clay. On the palate the wine is lavish: acidity takes on a background role, while fruit carries the day within a structure of precocious tannin. This vintage of The Mascot is not remembered for density per se, but more for its harmony, proportion, and long, generous finish.