Vintage
The template for this wine is combining hillside Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a plush yet structured Merlot-based blend coming from top Napa vineyards. The varietal composition of the 2018 vintage is 68% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Harvest Dates: Sept 17, 24, & Oct 12
Brix: 25.0˚ average
Soil: Napa Valley soils are comprised of broken down or decomposed rock that has been carried downhill from the eastern Vaca range and the western Mayacamas range to the base of the valley, where they intermingle with the silt, clay, and gravel deposits of the Napa River flood plain. Mount Veeder is atypical for a mountain appellation of Napa: its soils are derived from ancient seabed rather than volcanic matter, with clay and gravel loams predominant.
AVA: Napa Valley
Winemaking
Fermentation: Spontaneous native-yeast and malolactic fermentations
Aging: The 2018 Template rested on its lees for 20 months in new French oak barrels (Taransaud) with bi-monthly bâtonnage to coat the tannins and smoothly integrate the wood. The wine was then lightly fined with egg whites and bottled without filtration.
