Tasting Notes:
This blend is put together with the intention of showing what our estate has to offer. Our gorgeous estate ranges from 200 to 600 feet in elevation, with various volcanic and sedimentary soils; you will notice expressions of high toned red fruit, a rich, textured mid-palate, black cherry, deep black fruit qualities, and earthy aromatics. Notice how the structure and acidity create a dynamic perception, making this wine a culinary delight.
Winemaker: Stephen J. Cary & Ariel Eberle
AVA: McMinnville
Vineyard Composition: 100% Yamhill Valley Vineyards
Harvest:
Picked: September 16-October 5, 2015
Yield: 3.5 Tons/acre
Brix: 24.2
pH: 3.39
TA: 7.05 g/L
Fermentation:
Fermented in 6T open top fermenters, 1.5 Ton Macrobins
Duration: 7-21 days
Aging:
10 months in 11% new French oak barrels
Bottling:
August 18-23, 2016
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.64
Residual Sugar: (0.2%) Dry
Alcohol: 13.6%
Vineyard:
We are the second oldest vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. McMinnville AVA is known for having intense, enduring wines. Some of our top soils were brought here over 15,000 years ago in the Missoula floods, which makes this area incredibly unique. We have the perfect climate, being in the rain-shadow of the Coastal Foothills, with winds that form from the Van Duzer corridor, and western facing sloping hillsides. All of this makes for unique wines of quality grown 100% from our Estate.
Vintage:
2015 was the warmest year on record in the Willamette Valley. Bud break started in mid-March, and a warm spring supported vine growth in preparation for flowering and fruit set, both of which were earlier than usual. The early start in spring was followed by a warm, dry summer, which gave winegrowers flexibility to pick earlier than usual. This allowed winegrowers to make calls based solely on perfect ripeness and flavor development. Harvest started in mid September before rain and birds arrived.
Winemaking:
Grapes were hand-picked and delivered to the crush pad where they were meticulously hand sorted, de-stemmed and taken into the winery to begin their journey to becoming wine. After a one day cold-soak, they were inoculated and then punched down and tasted daily until the tannins and color develop nice balance with the acidity and complex fruit flavors. Next the free run is removed, settled overnight, and put to barrels the next day, where it spent 10 months aging in 11% new oak, picking up more complexity and subtle aromatics that accentuate the plentiful fruit flavors.
