The preceding winter, which marked our second consecutive drought year, featured the lowest rainfall total in our entire history, going back to 1968. The vines grew vigorously during the warm and dry spring as the vineyard team did an excellent job with early weed control and irrigation. The summer months, from June through September, were all cooler than average, which slowed down the ripening process and allowed for fantastic flavor development. The yields were lower than usual, given the drought conditions, but the resulting wines are all excellent and reflect our unique location in the Oak Knoll District at the cooler southern end of Napa Valley.