2008 was the seventh harvest of Gamay at Witters' Vineyard, and, as in most of the previous years, harvest took place near the end of August, on the 27th. The crop was fairly light, at just a bit over two tons per acre of vines. There seemed to be an increase in tannin levels in '08, as there had been in the previous year, a good sign that the vines are coming into balance, and beginning to produce grapes of more substantial quality.

FRUIT SOURCE:

Witters Vineyard, at 3,400 feet elevation, above Camino, in El Dorado County, planted in 2000, at my instigation, by Ron Mansfield, who also farms Wylie and Fenaughty Vineyards for us. The elevation, the slope to the North, and the volcanic clay-loam soil all work together to produce grapes that will ripen fairly slowly, which is critical for the development of perfume, and finesse.

WINEMAKING NOTES:

Grapes picked August 27th, and destemmed into half-ton fermenting bins. Fermented without inoculation, cap punched down twice daily. Cuvaison 14 days, pressed September 10th, into Variable-capacity stainless tank, in which malolactic proceeded spontaneously. Racked off lees at end of January, and bottled mid-February '09

WINEMAKER'S TASTING NOTES:

Bright purply-red. Pretty, exuberant nose of raspberry, mulberry, violets, and a touch of pepper, showing some depth. Fresh in the mouth, and bright with acidity, yet round and juicy, nice, light grippy tannins, and very good length. The kind of wine characterized in France as "alimentaire."

• Production: 285 cases
• Suggested Retail: $16.00`
• Release Date: February 2010

Produced and Bottled by Thumbnail Moonlight, under the direction of Steve Edmunds, Winemaker