HARVESTED: September 9th, 2013
VINEYARD LOCATION: Central Coast (San Miguel just north of Paso Robles) 1000 ft, head-pruned,
ex-Rosenblum vineyard.
SOILS: limestone
BOTTLED: November, 2014
COMPOSITION: 80% Zin (Sauret, St. Peters Church, St. Charles) 20% Petite Sirah (Rockpile, Palisades)
ALCOHOL: 13.9%
PRODUCTION: 480 cases
WINEMAKER: Colin McNany
VINTAGE NOTES
Intense drought around Paso Robles caused budbreak to happen three weeks earlier this year. The growing season went smoothly, without heat spikes or cool stretches. But it was a dry year, with low yields, small berries and an early harvest — the earliest on record. Sugars spiked early with enough texture and weight to balance alcohols. Local yields were down about 20 percent for many vintners, adding intensity to the grapes because when you have no water, you lose tonnage and can only chase quality.
WINEMAKING NOTES
The Zin and Petite are separated by clone, 100% de-stemmed whole berry and hand-sorted on the shaker table. After a gentle cold soak for 5 days, the individual open top fermenters are inoculated with commercial yeast strains, receiving a mixture of pump-overs and punch downs daily. Fermentation and extended maceration took roughly 22 days, when the free run and basket pressed was sent to designated barrels. 100% native malolactic fermentation took place in neutral french and american barrels and aged for 14 months. The wine is racked once to tank for blending followed by bottling. Unfined and unfiltered.
TASTING NOTES
Deep purple in color, this youthful fruit bomb is all upfront, delivering luscious blackberry, boysenberry and brambleberry everywhere. The fruit over powers the structure, but it tastes soo good. Party in a glass, the Petite Sirah brings a nice fine grain tannin to the finish, pursuing elements of juicy pluots and plum skins.
CELLARING
Not intended for long term aging, drink now-5 years.