Anyone bite? I fell in love with the Que Syrah Syrah last year, so had to pick some up after AG gave it 100. Sad about the no Montecillo…
Greetings from Healdsburg,
Looking out our window today we are excited to see a fresh blanket of snow on the ridges and peaks above Sonoma County. We are filled with gratitude for the prolific rain that we have received in California this season and are happy to see our streams, rivers and reservoirs refilled after several very dry years here in the West. We look forward to entering this growing season with recharged aquifers and ample soil moisture that will help our vineyards thrive.
We are excited to announce the opening of our Spring release. All of the wines in this offer are from 2021, which was an exceptional vintage in Northern California. A warm spring was followed by a moderate summer punctuated by frequent fog incursions that allowed the fruit to hang on the vines until optimal ripeness was achieved. The wines we produced have all the hallmarks of a great vintage, with excellent structure and depth combined with ample fruit and freshness. We feel these wines have a long life ahead of them and we look forward to sharing them with you. Also, we were honored to receive our first triple digit score from critic Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media. Please access his reviews for all of the current wines on our website’s press page.
Our Spring release would normally include single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings from Fellom, Clajeux and Montecillo vineyards. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to produce those wines in 2020 as the vines were compromised by wildfire smoke. In 2021 we were spared from fire and decided to take the opportunity to craft an old-school California Red Wine based on bordeaux varieties from amazing sites. We were fortunate to secure old vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the historic Massa Vineyard high above the Carmel Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon from Bedrock and Gordenker vineyards in the Sonoma Valley, and Cabernet Franc from Persia Vineyard that is located close to our beloved Clajeux Vineyard in Sonoma’s Chalk Hill appellation. All of these sites were harvested and fermented separately then aged in 50% concrete tank and 50% neutral French oak barrels for 10 months. The resulting wine is 12.5% alcohol and is vibrantly aromatic, supported by punchy fruit and fresh acidity. We crafted this wine to pair well with food and be ready to drink upon release but we also see that it has strong potential for positive development with some time in the bottle. We are very pleased with the inaugural bottling of our California Red Wine and we look forward to continuing to offer this blend each year.
Syrah was an absolute joy to grow and produce in 2021 and yielded stunning, singular expressions from both the Que Syrah and Clary Ranch vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation. Yields were down in Clary Ranch due to some early season frost damage but quality and concentration were up, contributing to this fantastic bottling from one of our favorite sites. The 2021 is deep and inky with powerful aromas of lavender and roasted meats that are characteristics of this wind whipped site in the heart of the Petaluma Gap. As usual, the Clary Ranch Syrah was fermented retaining 100% whole clusters in an open top tank with gentle extraction during fermentation and aging in neutral French oak barrels. Que Syrah Vineyard sits at 850’ elevation on a ridge west of the town of Occidental about 4 miles from the Pacific. The fruit is subject to the extreme weather conditions at the edge of the continent and always yields a wine of unique character. Syrah thrives in these challenging conditions and the long slow growing season helps stitch detailed nuance and personality into the fruit grown here. 2021 was one of the best vintages we have had the privilege to work with and the resulting wine is absolutely electric. A vibrant fuchsia color leads to exotic, spicy aromatics that are underpinned by juicy acidity and gorgeous waves of crimson fruit. This wine is an absolute pleasure to drink now and will also go the distance in the cellar. For those who appreciate coastal Syrah, this is a wine not to be missed.
Lastly, our 2021 Ribolla Gialla from the Vare Vineyard in Napa’s Oak Knoll District is one of our most compelling bottlings of this grape since we started making it in 2009. The fruit was harvested at perfect ripeness and sent directly to the press before fermenting in stainless steel. Aging took place in neutral French oak barrels to soften the edges and bring the inherent Ribolla Gialla qualities to the fore. The 2021 is packed with energy and flavor, with a wonderful mix of salted orchard fruits framed by deep structure that will see this wine age well for years to come.
We look forward to hosting our annual Spring Release party on Saturday April 1st from 11am - 3pm.
Orders will ship beginning the week of April 10th, weather permitting.
As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions, we are happy to help.
Cheers,
Duncan, Nathan, Caitlin, Alex
