Joseph Phelps Le Mistral 2001
Rhone Red Blends
from Napa Valley, California
winemaker's notes:
"A rich, seductive style. Intense blackberry,
boysenberry and blueberry fruit is
sharply focused, with a nice touch of
oak, but most impressive is the purity
and generosity of the fruit, culminating
in a persistent aftertaste. Drink now
through 2009. —J.L."
-Wine Spectator
The 2001 vintage produced well balanced, concentrated, flavorful fruit with generous yields, despite some extreme temperature fluctuations during the growing season. Weak or stressed vines were affected by a heat spell in the first week of October, but our unpicked vineyards withstood these last Indian summer days and reached optimal ripeness.
The result is a lush, full-bodied wine with aromas of black cherry, huckleberry and rosemary, finishing with sweet oak tannin and ripe fruit flavors.
