2012 Seven Hills Pentad Walla Walla

Winemaker’s Notes

Pentad represents our highest achievement in winemaking, a wine of wholeness, balance, and ever expanding complexity. It is a wine bottled only in the most exceptional vintages. The 2012 vintage is our first release of Pentad in three years, only our 8th vintage ever produced. The 2012 vintage was slightly warmer than average and produced generous, plush wines with already well integrated tannin and acid structure that are deceptively approachable yet capable of ageing in the cellar.

The color of the 2012 Pentad is very dark ruby. The aroma reveals a spectrum of fruit and savory components from black cherry and blackberry to leather, cocoa bean, marzipan, rose petal, and roasted coffee. On the palate the wine is remarkably supple, with well integrated tannins, dark cassis, plum, and cherry fruit accented with fig, mocha, mineral, and herbs. The wine is surprisingly accessible already, but capable of ageing well for 10-15 years from vintage.

Vineyards: Seven Hills, McClellan Estate, Morrison

Grapes: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Carménère

Vintage: Warm growing conditions, moderate heat unit accumulation spread throughout the ripening season, normal yields

Ageing: 22 Months in Seguin Moreau “Haut Brion Blend”

French Oak Barrels, 40% new, an additional 6 months ageing in bottle before release

Aroma: Black cherry, blackberry, leather, cocoa bean, marzipan, roasted coffee, rose petal

Taste: Cassis, plum, black cherry, mission fig, mocha, mineral, desert herbs

Vegan: Yes

Alcohol: 14.5%

Lot size: 310 cases