Heavy spring rains and extended cool temperatures of the 2005 growing season created one of the coolest growing seasons ever seen. The lush growth from the spring rains increased the crop levels throughout the North Coast, mostly because of heavier clusters, forcing winemakers to find creative vessels in which to ferment the ballooning tonnage of grapes coming into the wineries.

As one of our latest harvests, we picked the “Bottom 40” and 7 rows of “J Block” that traditionally become the E II Red during the warmth of the Indian summer on November 2, three days before and after light rains.

Overall, 2005 was most similar to the 1997 and 2007 vintages, where our crop levels were fairly high because of the extended cool weather and lengthy rains, but we were still able to create balanced wines with beautiful plush fruit and concentrated flavors – a rare combination of quantity and quality.

According to winemaker Michael Trujillo, “the 2005 vintage shows more finesse than muscle; cooler vintages bring out the blueberry in the E II Red Wine, hotter vintages the blackberry fruits of Howell Mountain. But the nose is signature Herb Lamb Vineyard, showing mountain fruit, mint and blueberry, with juicy flavors and silky tannins.”

Michael cautions the consumer to hold onto this wine for a few months before opening. “At this stage in its life, it is still going through bottle shock and tastes clumsy and rough, showing all the different characters individually, without having come together as a complete wine. It will begin to evolve by summer of 2008, but may still take awhile for the wine to come out of its cocoon and show those lovely plush and juicy characters typical of Herb Lamb Vineyard.”

Mother Nature gave us a plush vintage, one that will probably be a little more desirable - and a little easier to drink - than some of the concentrated previous vintages. As it evolves, the 2005 E II Red Wine will become friendlier. It will take on a creamy, plush character and show its excellent balance, juicy horsepower and more delicate fruit and feminine flavors. Just the wine to share with man’s best friend!