About Fogarty
Few wine regions on earth can match Santa Cruz Mountains’ climates, soils and vertigo-inspiring views. Set high in the mountains overlooking California’s Silicon Valley, the Thomas Fogarty winery has been making single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet from the SCM appellation since 1981. Fogarty’s two estates are divided into micro-vineyards, ranging from .25 to 5.25 acres, based on soil and topography. All are maritime (12-18 miles to Pacific), cool-climate (Regions I and II), high-elevation (1600-2300 feet), low yielding (1-3 tons per acre) and mountainous. The winery was founded by Dr. Thomas Fogarty, a Stanford cardiovascular surgeon and world-renowned inventor.

Vintage
2004 was a challenging but highly successful vintage for the Santa Cruz Mountains. A heat spike in early September forced us to re-evaluate our traditional cool-climate viticultural practices. Hard work and patience allowed us to adapt to growing conditions that were more like Napa or Sonoma than Santa Cruz Mountains. Beautiful weather during most of our “ripening zone” led to miniscule yields of intensely flavored fruit.

Vineyard
Set above the Lexington Reservoir John Anderson’s Camel Hill Vineyard is a series of hillside plots featuring a complex assortment of clones and exposures. While the climate is decidedly cool and mountainous, it has proven to be an inspiring source of Cabernets Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Harvest usually commences in late September and continues through the month of October. This long growing season allows for maximum flavor development at lower sugars and higher acidity than most of California.

Winemaking
We began picking Merlot in mid-September and finished with Cabernet Sauvignon in mid-October. This blend was assembled by selecting individual barrels from 10 different lots, each representing a different clone or section of the vineyard. This attention to detail and hand selection ensures supreme quality. We made the assemblage at the first racking during the late winter/early spring of ’05. We favor early blending as a tool for harmonizing flavor and texture. Elevage was 22 months in 35% new French Oak with 3-4 rackings per year.

Tasting Notes
Sporting the vineyard’s signature nose, flavor and structure, this 2004 is our best Lexington to date. The layered aromatics are dominated by black fruits, spice and notes of allspice and mocha. The palate is rich and bold with a spine of acidity that keeps the finish fresh and lively. Hints of coffee and vanilla, from aging in tight-grained French Oak, add depth and accent to the core mountain fruit. Another year in the bottle would be ideal, but with decanting this wine offers a lot of drinking pleasure today. It should age well for 5-12 years.

TECHNICAL DATA:

Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains

WINEMAKER
Michael Martella

VINEYARD: 100% Camel Hill Vineyard

COMPOSITION: 60% Merlot, 33% Cab. Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc

Finished alcohol: 15.3% ABV
Acid: TA 0.65g/ 100ml
pH: 3.45
Oak treatment: 22 months, 35% New French Oak
Total production: 450 cases
Release Date: April 15, 2008
California suggested retail: $45.00