2009 Moraga Red

The Fourth in a series of scant rainy seasons, the 2009 vintage started with near-perfect conditions for March Budbreak – dry weather and record high temperatures that led to rapid leaf development and shoot growth.  Moraga received a bit of rain at the end of the month, but March marked an early end to a rainy season that normally runs into June.  With a bit less coastal overcast that we often experience, average temperatures over the summer were a couple of degrees warmer than most years. The patter continued into mid-August when we experienced ten straight days of heat that pushed the grapes through veraison, creating a scenario for very uniform ripeness.  Harvest of Moraga’s red grapes began in late September, which was slightly warmer than most.  Record low temperatures characterized most of October.  The cool weather was punctuated with significant amounts of rain mid-month.  The grapes survived the rains with no ill effects and we finished harvest by the month’s end.

The 2009 vintage produced another exceptional Moraga Red Wine.  The nose is quite complex and a little brooding exhibiting layers of Asian spice, tar, classic cedar/cigar box, and sandalwood fragrances all heaped into a pile of red fruit and currants mixed with blueberry and a hint of tobacco. The entry is juicy, soft, and round, with plenty of mixed berries and ripe plum.  The wine is beautifully structured, with soft, fine-grained tannins, and a persistent, mouthwatering finish.