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| John Duval & Gilles Nicault |
John Duval, formerly of Australia's iconic
Penfold's Grange, chose the Columbia Valley as his "Sequel" for the
continuation of his life's work with Syrah.
Tasting Notes: A generous and concentrated wine of great character, the
2006 Sequel is notable for its deep purple hue, rich aromatics and layers of
flavor. Almond, dark chocolate and cherry notes fill the glass, complemented by
hints of black licorice, blackberry, cocoa powder and a touch of smoke. Great
complexity on the palate with a lengthy finish, this is a refined wine of
beauty and balance.
Vintage: The Columbia Valley's growing seasons are remarkably consistent
and the 2006 vintage was no exception. Warm summer days and cool fall
temperatures slowed ripening just enough to allow the grapes to develop
excellent acidity and wonderful balance in the wines.
Winemaking: Carefully selected, hand-harvested grapes were fermented in
2 - 4 ton tanks using a variety of fermentation methods including "Rack and
Return," a technique John frequently uses in Australia that allows for gentle
handling of the berries while extracting optimal color and richness. This
vintage was aged 18 months in 65% new French oak barrels, 30% in one-year-old
French oak and 5% in 300L hogs head American oak barrels.
Vineyards: John works with a variety of diverse Columbia Valley
vineyards to craft this wine: Syrah from Horse Heaven Hill's Alder Ridge and
Wallula Vineyards serve as the backbone; Yakima's acclaimed Boushey Vineyard
contributes to the wine's refined structure; Bacchus Vineyard provides
dimension and depth; Red Mountain and the surrounding area vineyards enhance
the wine's concentration, color and richness. A small amount of Cabernet
Sauvignon (5%) from Sagemoor's Dionysus Vineyard on a southwest facing slope in
Pasco adds structure and an extra layer of complexity.
Alcohol: 14.7%
pH: 3.77
TA: 0.59 grams/100ml
Blend:
96% Syrah
4% Cabernet Sauvignon
Release date: October 2008
Production: 2,012 cases
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