The goal at Dancing Hares is to produce a wine, without varietal designation, that best captures the character of the vintage and our unique terroir. Our Merlot vines typically produce a very small crop of intensely flavored fruit, with notes of bittersweet chocolate and ripe raspberries. The Cabernet Franc is also compelling, boasting aromas of licorice and spice, and providing an unctuous, jammy mouthfeel. No surprise, the Cabernet Sauvignon shines in our lean, rocky soils, providing a strong backbone along with blackberry, cassis, and earth tones. The sum of all three varietals is even more enticing than any of the individual parts. We regularly revisit the wines over time in the barrel, and blend just the right percentages of each that best showcase the potential of our vineyard.

The 2006 Dancing Hares

BLEND: 58 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot

AGING: Aged for 20 months in 80% new French Oak barrels

WINEMAKER NOTES:

2006 began with a cold, wet spring, similar in many respects to 2003 and 2005. Dry, mild conditions kept vine growth in check, and fruit yields in balance. Our harvest was relatively late, with weather during September and October being warm and dry. This helped the vines at Dancing Hares to deliver fruit with soft, round tannins and deep, concentrated fruit flavors. The unique varietal make-up of the 2006 vintage gives the wine a high level of complexity, and the softness makes the wine very approachable right now. Aromas and flavors of candied cherry, dark chocolate, baking spices, and smoke should persist for years to come, while the wine continues to evolve. This wine can be enjoyed immediately upon opening the bottle, and should stay strong for 10+ years. If drunk young, Dancing Hares will become softer and more expressive with at least an hour of decanting.