Cult of Ceres Serritor MMXIX

Winegrower’s Notes The 2019 Serritor Cabernet is sourced from our Southwind Estate Vineyard. Located on the southern edge of the Walla Walla Valley AVA on the Oregon side, this 64-acre high elevation vineyard peaks at 1,441 feet, boasts many different aspects and soil depths over fractured basalt, and is redefining Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon. Serritor takes its name from Ceres’ helper god “who digs”, and is a Cabernet based blend that showcases the power, concentration, structure and finesse that are hallmarks of this unique and special vineyard.

Vintage Notes  The 2019 growing season in Washington State was anything but typical, yet it yielded an exceptional vintage. Winter started warmer than usual, but February and March brought unexpected snowfall. The late snow delayed vineyard crews from pruning, as the cold weather and snow cover slowed soil warming. As a result, bud break was pushed to mid-April, significantly later than in previous warmer vintages.

May brought a welcome shift, with significantly warmer weather encouraging bloom and setting a healthy crop. Summer followed with mild, pleasant conditions, free of the usual heat spikes that often characterize the season. By all accounts, it seemed poised to be an outstanding year.

However, September brought an unexpected twist. Temperatures dropped dramatically, often 5–20 degrees below the daily average. This cooler weather had a silver lining: it allowed the fruit to achieve full maturity at lower sugar levels, preserving both freshness and acidity.

Then, on October 9th, a freeze swept through much of the state. Fortunately, Dusted Valley had harvested the majority of its fruit by then, allowing us to craft yet another vintage of exceptional wines.

Blend – 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot

Appellation – Walla Walla Valley | Vineyard – Southwind Estate: 3 Blocks; 3 Clones (33, 47, 04)

Wine Analysis – 6.7 grams/L Total Acidity | 3.83 pH | 14.5% Alcohol

Techniques – Fermented in individual puncheons and stainless steel tanks. 14 – 17 day maceration in stainless steel. 37 day maceration in puncheons that were cofermented with Petit Verdot.

Oak Program – 100% new French oak barrels. Barrel aged 20 months on fine lees and racked once before bottling. Bottle aged nearly 3 years prior to release.

Production – 864 bottles

Price $300 COC Members ONE 3-pack price | $480 COC Members TWO 3-pack price ($240 each)