I bottled the Cellar Craft limited edition ‘Chateau du Pays‘ today.  I intended to bulk age this wine 6 to 8 months, but realized I was a carboy short for upcoming winemaking and didn’t have time to get another one fast enough. As usual, there was one partial bottle left at the end, which went for tasting.  This wine was technically ready to bottle 3/17/11, and I racked off of the secondary oak treatment 4/8/11 so it wouldn’t get over-oaky.  Tasting notes: Big, bold aromas of brambles, plum, currant, and light spice; no “kit” nose.  Very clear, dark purple-garnet in color, did not filter.  Definitely taste the oak, very acidic up front, will certainly mellow over time.  Underlying flavors of toast, blackberry, currant and cassis with long, spicy finish.  Very young but showing great promise to be a most amazing wine!