A cold, dry winter on Red Mountain was followed by an equally cool spring, which led to a slightly later-than-normal budbreak and bloom. Following mid-June rains that significantly reduced the size of the crop, the weather turned hot in July and August, and we began picking our Syrah, Merlot and Malbec the first week of September. While the outbreak of wildfires in Oregon was a concern, after travelling more than 200 miles to Red Mountain, the impact of the smoke was minimal, and we were careful to exclude any impacted grapes. Instead, the driving characteristic of the vintage was the low yields, which despite the cool weather allowed the grapes to get beautifully ripe, producing wines with dark colors, plush creamy textures and rich, vibrant flavors.