2018 Lexington 'Alma' White

2018 began as another dry but not particularly warm winter until early February, when a system of high pressure brought daytime temperatures into the 70s, warming the dry soil and initiating early bud break in some of our vineyard sites. Then in March, an arctic cold front settled in bringing nighttime temperatures down to freezing, risking frost damage to the new shoot growth and ultimately limiting yields in many vineyard sites. This pattern of seasonally early warm temperatures with later cold creates a “false” spring in the vineyards and has become much more common in recent years. Summer was mostly mild, leading to a slightly later harvest than other recent vintages. These wines are poised and complex with depth and structure. Lower yields produced more concentrated wines, leading us to believe they have a long life ahead.