2013 Moraga White
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes 

The second of two the driest consecutive years on record, the 2013 season began about a week early in response to the droughty soils and a February and March just a touch on the warmer side.  The temperature trend continued from Budbreak in mid-March to flowering and fruit set in late May, but by mid-June, gloomy coastal overcast arrived and temperatures stayed slightly lower than normal until harvest on September 3rd.  The combination of an early start and a cool finish to the growing season blessed us with an extra two-and-a-half weeks of ripening time – sugar and flavor development evolved in parallel and we were able to pick at relatively low sugar levels with high acid.  The result is a full-flavored wine with incredible aging potential.

This is exceedingly complex wine with floral, fruit, and mineral components in profusion.  There are aromas of honeysuckle, chamomile, tangerine, cantaloupe, citron, gooseberry, and wet decomposed granite.  The first impression on the palate is a sense of profound freshness reinforced by notes of pineapple, grapefruit zest, lime, peach, guava, lemongrass and the slightly herbal/sweet note of fresh green pea shoots.  There is a big, rich entry, huge textural viscosity, and a mouth-filling vibrancy full of sweet fruit on the mid-palate.  The finish is slightly grippy/flinty, juicy and very persistence. There is an overall sense of harmony and balance in this wine.

We believe this to be an exceptional white wine vintage for Moraga.  We hope that you feel as much heartfelt pleasure drinking it as we did creating it.


Scott Rich, Winemaker
Carlos Contreras, Vineyard Manager