2013

CURRENT VINTAGE

Thanks to frequent rains and warm temperatures, a rather steamy spring and summer kept the vineyard team humming. We recall optimistically commenting at the end of August that if Mother Nature decided to cooperate, we would have a wonderful year. Fortunately, she lavished us with cool, dry weather throughout the entire autumn. The early warmth gave the wines generosity, and the perfect autumn conditions ensured concentrated and balanced fruit.

LOST MOUNTAIN

Hints of cassis, forest floor and graphite indicate the beginnings of a rather complex and intriguing wine. Firm and dense on the palate, this is a wine with considerable backbone that at once provides power and finesse with a long, lingering finish. Though just as easily savored in its youth with aeration, this is a wine with a long and impressive future.

“This is the top wine from Rutger de Vink's exceptional Virginia operation with Eric Boissenot as consultant. Very dark crimson. Very fresh nose with real energy and intense ripe Cabernet notes. Dry and firm with a powerful core of ripe Cabernet fruit. If you are thinking of drinking this in the near future, make sure you aerate it well. Dense and intense. 14.5% Drink 2018-2030”

18/20 Jancis Robinson

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 53%
CABERNET FRANC 27%
MERLOT 20%

RENDEZVOUS

Dark fruit and sweet pastry aromas fill the glass, hinting at the generosity of this very favorable vintage. A rich and vibrant entry slowly gives way to a creamy mid palate supported by a velvety finish. The wine is quite approachable in its youth, with a concentration that should offer pleasure for years to come.

“Very dark purplish crimson. Wonderfully friendly, creamy, broad and ripe. This is classic ripe, subtle, sweet-but-not-sickly fruit with a velvety texture. Just a little bit hot on the end. This does taste like fermented velvet! Quite enough freshness on the end. Really quite forward and already gulpable. Not for the long term and presumably long on Merlot. 14.5%, Drink 2016-2022”

17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

MERLOT 44%
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 25%
CABERNET FRANC 22%
PETIT VERDOT 9%

2012

Long growing seasons are often credited with producing wines of elevated aromatic and flavor complexity, and this is exactly what happened in 2012. The growing season began ten days early but mild temperatures and consistent rains resulted in a harvest that was a week later than usual. Several weeks of a stunning Indian summer in September provided the ideal amount of stress to beautifully ripen the Merlot and give the Cabernet Sauvignon the gentle push it needed. The resulting wines are characterized by rich flavors, charming aromatics, and a seamless structure.

LOST MOUNTAIN
17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Brooding and masculine on the nose, the 2012 Lost Mountain embodies depth, complexity and richness. A cloak of velvety Cabernet tannins support an abundance of black fruits and minerality concentrated in a dense mid-palate. Generosity and energy define this noble wine that has tremendous aging potential.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 46%
CABERNET FRANC 40%
MERLOT 14%

RENDEZVOUS
17/20 Jancis Robinson

The 2012 Rendezvous showcases the refinement and finesse characteristic of the vintage. With aromas suggestive of forest fruits, patisserie, and hints of earthiness, the wine is supple and round and framed by sweet tannins that provide a vibrant, harmonious finish. Immensely enjoyable now, it will continue to please for years to come.

MERLOT 57%
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 22%
CABERNET FRANC 12%
PETIT VERDOT 9%

2011

In 2011 Mother Nature proved temperamental at times, testing our site and our determination. A quick but violent hailstorm in early July reduced the crop load by 30 percent. Luckily, the vines are resilient, and by late August we were again optimistic—until Hurricane Irene and a month of unrelenting cloudy weather paid us a visit, reducing our yields by another 40 percent. Despite these struggles, we were thrilled with the remarkable, elegant wines produced. The only thing we are left wanting is more bottles in the cellar.

LOST MOUNTAIN
17/20 Jancis Robinson

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 50%
CABERNET FRANC 31%
MERLOT 16%
PETIT VERDOT 3%

RENDEZVOUS
16+/20 Jancis Robinson

MERLOT 69%
CABERNET FRANC 23%
PETIT VERDOT 8%

2010

Record temperatures in late March set the momentum for the hot and dry season that would follow. With the vines breaking bud in early April, the season began nearly three weeks ahead of average. Much to our pleasant surprise, these dry Mediterranean conditions continued all the way through harvest, which began in early September and was complete by mid-October. Small intense berries produced wines with tremendous concentration and power that will undoubtedly age gracefully for many years to come.

LOST MOUNTAIN
17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 64%
MERLOT 36%

RENDEZVOUS
16/20 Jancis Robinson

MERLOT 44%
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 24%
PETIT VERDOT 20%
CABERNET FRANC 12%

2009

We began with a later than normal start due to a cool and wet spring, one that continued into the beginning of June. Fortunately, flowering was successful and dry warm weather arrived by July. August and September provided ideal ripening conditions with very moderate temperatures and minimal rainfall. Harvest began in mid-September with the Merlot and continued through the end of a cool October with the Cabernet Sauvignon. As a result, the wines show great finesse and balance, expressing a vintage void of excesses.

LOST MOUNTAIN
18/20 Jancis Robinson

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 77%
MERLOT 14%
PETIT VERDOT 9%

RENDEZVOUS
17/20 Jancis Robinson

MERLOT 35%
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 32%
CABERNET FRANC 21%
PETIT VERDOT 12%

2008

In our inaugural vintage, a warm and dry June encouraged a healthy flowering. Consistent light rains followed. This proved to be a blessing, establishing the new vineyards with a strong canopy needed to sustain the plants through the increasingly dryer summer months. Because the vines were young and the conditions hot and dry, harvest took place in early September. The resulting wines display a density of opulent fruit while retaining a balance of elegance and complexity.

LOST MOUNTAIN (known as RdV for our first vintage)
17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 85%
MERLOT 10%
PETIT VERDOT 5%

RENDEZVOUS
16.5 Jancis Robinson

MERLOT 62%
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 29%
CABERNET FRANC 6%
PETIT VERDOT 3%