Hillwalker is a prototypical Mt. Veeder vineyard at 1,020 feet, complete with south-facing slope and broken blue shale soils scraped from the Pacific Ocean floor some 140 million (ish) years ago. The vineyard is dry-farmed, organically grown, non-hedged and becoming adapted to biodynamically-styled teas. This combination of non-intervention farming and ancient soils amplifies the terroir, pushing forward the signature Mt. Veeder violet and iris aromatic. The subtle, barely there-Boutes Grand Reserve barrels lift and support the taut, vivid, and up-righted mouthfeel and properly frame the blue fruit, black olive, and fine herb flavors. Long, precise and a bit chiseled—this is a wine we think Bob Travers would recognize.