Orca International : Shop : L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee Pepper Bridge

L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee Pepper Bridge (2005)
	Country	USA	Region	Washington
	AVA	Walla Walla Valley	Varietal	Red Blend
	Body	Full-bodied	Sweetness	Dry
	Production	1747 Cases	Date Bottled	12-Jul-07
	Alcohol	14%	Acidity	0.61 g/100ml
	pH	3.66	Ratings	WE: 90
	Product ID	1419105	JAN Code	7-21354-95002-4
	Volume	750ml	Residual Sugar
	Retail Price (pre-tax)	6,700 yen
Vineyard Notes	Pepper Bridge Vineyard This vineyard, planted in the terraced remnants of ice-age flood deposits, is one of the Walla Walla Valley’s most reputable vineyards. Apogee was the first wine produced from this vineyard and shows its characteristic spicy, bold and dark fruit flavors with a rich structure, well-integrated tannins and a long finish.
Vintage Notes	The cool 2005 Spring provided perfect conditions for balanced tissue regeneration and canopy growth on the heels of the hard 2004 Winter. Additional thinning efforts were required to balance cluster development and fruit uniformity after a cooler fruit set in June. Normal summer sunshine and heat units led to an awesome late season ripening period, with intense sunshine and little or no rain. The overall season crop load was lower than normal, at 2 ½ to 3 tons per acre. Our traditional cool long harvest resulted in fabulous fruit quality, with bright clean aromatics and acidity in the whites and vibrant extraction and rich color in the red wines.
Vinification Notes	The handpicked grapes were gently crushed and de-stemmed into small, one-ton stainless steel fermenters. The must was fermented with Pasteur Red and Cepage Cabernet yeast and gently punched down by hand two to three times daily. At the ideal balance of tannin and fruit extraction, the must was gently pressed and transferred to tank to settle. The resulting wine was aged 22 months in 100% small oak barrels with approximately 50% new oak. The wine was racked five times, then bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve its natural flavors.
Tasting Notes	Apogee is the point in the orbit of the moon that is the greatest distance from the earth; the farthest point or apex. This name reflects all that the winery wanted to accomplish with the wine, reaching the ultimate in quality. Boldly aromatic, this wine has spicy aromas of nutmeg and clove, earthy hints of sweet tobacco and leather, and smoky dark fruit packed with chocolate, mint and cherry finish. Varietal Composition: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc

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