Vintage
The 2006 vintage will be remembered for temperature extremes. The season started out cool delaying budbreak in the Skipstone Vineyard until mid-April. Normal weather followed allowing the grapevines to flower in ideal conditions paving the way for a healthy fruit set. July was one of the hottest on record, culminating with six straight days over 100 degrees and peaking at 114˚F! As harvest approached, a strong coastal trend brought in daily fog, allowing for long hang-time giving the grapes greater complexity. By mid-October, a beautiful stretch of warmer days gave us the final push to ripeness and it was during this period that we picked the grapes for Oliver’s Blend.

Harvest
At Skipstone, each grape lot undergoes an extensive four-step sorting process, ensuring that only perfectly ripe grapes are vinified. We employ cold soak and extended maceration which extracts maximum color and body from the grape skins. After fermentation, lots are allowed to further sit on the skins, if warranted. Instead of pressing, which can yield hard tannins, we employ an overnight draining period so the wine may separate from the skins naturally. The wine is put into French oak, 75% new, specifically chosen to integrate and enhance the character of each individual lot. Malolactic fermentation occurred in barrels.

Wine
Each year, Winemaker Philippe Melka focuses on the strengths of the vintage and use those wines that fit best together to represent Skipstone. On the nose, this wine exhibits great freshness and focus. Bright aromas of ripe, crushed red and black berry along with floral tones fill the glass. The mineral, gravel dust quality that is characteristic in Skipstone wines lends aromatic backbone and support to the fruit. Well integrated oak adds hints of toast and caramel. The wine is mouth-filling with ripe berry flavor and a sweet, concentrated midpalate, carried by full, ripe tannins, and is followed by fruit and dark cocoa powder for a long, lingering finish. This wine should be very enjoyable in its youth with the structure to age for at least ten years. Neither fined nor filtered.

Harvest Dates:
• Cabernet Sauvignon October 17 – November 1
• Malbec October 21
• Cabernet Franc November 6
• Merlot October 24, 25
Varietal composition:
• 64% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 18% Malbec
• 13% Cabernet Franc
• 5% Merlot
Aging: Aged for 22 months in French Oak artisan barrels.
Production: 350 cases
Release Date: Oliver’s blend was released in October 2009.

Oliver's Blend is sold to mailing list members only. Please sign up on the mailing list to purchase wine.