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Gravelly soil and an extremely small yield in the old Sémillon vineyard produce immensely concentrated fruit.

In the naturally cool caves, the Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc ferment slowly in small French oak barrels and age with weekly batonnage.
Propietary Name Billet Doux
Name Meaning Love Note
Varietal composition Sémillon (65%)
Sauvignon Blanc (31%)
Muscat à Petits Grains (4%)
Type of wine Late harvest white wine
Appellation Alexander Valley
Vineyard singularity Old vines (25 to 60 years)
Loamy and gravelly soils
One cluster per shoot
Typical harvest date November
Picking Manual, small lugs, refer truck
Sorting Cluster by cluster
Fermentation In barrels, through native yeast
Upbringing 16 months
French oak from artisan coopers
Bottling Unfined, filtered to prevent MLF
Cellaring time Decades
Serving Chilled and decanted

Winemaker notes:

Growing in the gravelly soil of an ancient riverbed in the beautiful Alexander Valley, the old vines benefit from hot afternoons and cool, foggy mornings, favorable for the development of Botrytis (Noble Rot). Extremely small yields in the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat vineyards lead to the immensely concentrated fruit. Just as one receives a note from one’s sweetheart, we present this wine as a precious ‘Love Note’ or ‘Billet Doux.’

Deep crystal clear gold. Intense and complex bouquet of dry apricot, pêche de vigne and Reine Claude yellow plum intermixed with notes of quince, honey, Muscat and a hint of sweet vanilla. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a creamy sweet texture and a great intensity. The large amount of sugar and glycerin creates a highlighted viscosity. Along with the wine’s great concentration, richness and opulence, the classical aromatic complexity reveals a flamboyant yet harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long, complex and smooth finish.