<h3>In the Vines</h3><p>Each component of the blend carries different vartietal characteristics and reflects slight soil differences between different vineyards on the estate. It is a true reflection of the terroir of Noble Hill.</p><h3>The Wine</h3><p>From hand-sorting at harvest, each component of this blend begins its fermentation in tank and completes it in 225l French oak barrels. Only the lowest press fractions are used for blending, resulting in a wine composed almost entirely of free-run juice. We work with five family-owned cooperages located near Cognac to produce barrels matched to our intended style.</p><p>When establishing Noble Hill we were given keys to every door, cupboard, and gate in a jumbled box. Sorting through the mess, we realized that some of the keys dated to the farm’s historic past, and ever since we have placed a key on each label. Different keys represent our different sources of inspiration and the different characters of each grape varietal. The 2011 Estate Blend is labeled with three keys representing Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Merlot (38%), and Cabernet Franc (4%).</p><p>This wine elicits the aromas and tastes of fresh black currant, plum, and a touch of mint. Oak plays a well-integrated and focused supporting role. This vintage was released after two years’ bottle maturation and can be enjoyed from now through 2021.</p>
