| LeVois Vineyards 2008 Harvest October 20 2008 Warm fall greetings from LeVois Vineyards, IT’S ALL FINALLY IN! About ten tons (total) of lovely, fully ripe Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon off our terraced Bradford Mountain vineyards. |
| The 2008 harvest has just ended for us, almost a month earlier than recent vintages. Due to an exceptionally dry and sunny spring we had an early bud-break this year. Then came the worst frost in years, damaging crops all over the county. Our vineyards are not very susceptible to frost because their terraced ridge-top location sheds the frigid air. Unfortunately, the vineyards in the valley do not benefit from this exchange. After the buds were finally set this spring and the vines leafed out, the weather turned sunny in Sonoma County and stayed sunny and mild for nearly all the rest of the summer, with only one week of triple-digit temperatures toward the end of the growing season. We had plenty of hang time -- from fruit set to harvest was over 120 days. As a result of the dry spring and the long, mild, consistent summer, the grapes turned out to be exceptional, with just the level of ripeness and acidity that we look for. |
| The low yields (less than two tons per acre) of our mountainside vineyards typically produce wines of concentration and individuality. The small berries and red soil combine to produce distinctive wines with soft tannins and natural acidity capable of aging for many years. It looks like the 2008 vintage will be another fine example of this unique terroir. |
| The 2008 Zinfandel has now completed primary fermentation and has been pressed. It is now barreled down, and will undergo malolactic fermentation over the coming winter. The 2008 Cabernet was picked three times. The first batch to be harvested has been pressed into barrels. The second and third batches have not yet finished primary fermentation. We are so lucky to live in one of the worlds’ premier viticultural areas. Our estate-grown wines are produced in very small quantities from grapes grown in one of the sweetest locations in the wine country. LeVois Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel have been featured at a number of sold-out wine festivals this year, as well as in some of the top Bay Area restaurants and wine shops. If you visit our website, www.levoisvineyards.com, you can keep yourself posted about upcoming wine festivals, wine tastings, and other local events featuring LeVois Vineyards wines. |
| Our 2005 Zinfandel is sold out. We have now released our 2006 Zinfandel ($28.00), which is just as popular—showing all of the ripe black cherry fruit and white pepper spice typical of Bradford Mountain Zinfandels. Our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30.00) is the most elegant wine we could have hoped for. It offers plenty of the characteristic Bradford Mountain fruit, with soft tannins, and an earthy lingering finish with hints of green olives, leather, and tobacco. Our Estate wines are extremely limited in quantity, so we encourage you to act soon if you want to try them. We thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement, and wish you many years of enjoyment from our wonderful new releases! Warm regards, Maurice and Maureen |
