2019 • Another Shore 2019

Another Shore 2019

Varietal:

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petite Sirah, 5% Merlot

Alcohol:

13.5%

Vinification Notes:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah were each harvested by hand and fermented separately before blending. Both the Cabernet and Merlot clusters were 100% destemmed, highlighting the natural flavors reminiscent of dark cherry and wild mint that we find particularly compelling in these varieties when grown in slightly cooler sites. We opted to keep the Petite Sirah portion whole-cluster and the fermentation underwent partial carbonic maceration, which provides just enough tannin and structure to complete this blend. The wine spent 16-months elevage in neutral French oak barrels before final racking and bottling.

Vineyard:

Cabernet Sauvignon from a mystery vineyard in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma County.

Petite Sirah from Bricarelli Ranch (formerly Benson Ranch), Mendocino County; planted in 2005; dry farmed (no irrigation); farmed by us using only organic products; no use of pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers; gravelly loam soils.

Merlot from King Vineyard, Suisun Valley; planted in 1989 on St George rootstock; grown with compost teas and without pesticides and herbicides, clay soils.

Tasting Notes:

Wet stone and mountain mint on the nose balance dark juicy cherry and a long, delicate body.

Tableside Talk

We love working with old vine Cabernet Sauvignon because we can pick the grapes at lower sugars and they still come into the winery ready to roll. These Cabernet vines were ripped out just before the 2021 harvest so the next vintage will have a different thumbprint.

Martha's Notes

The 2019 wines in this release are from the before time, when each year was a cup filling at the same rate I would drink it down, only to refill the next year. Occasionally the cup would overflow a smidge, but I felt decently in pace with time. 2019 was the last year I could worry about that small bit of overflow pooling on the table—before the cup created an ocean. The vintage matched how I felt. 2019 wines are from an abundant vintage, when the crop and weather were both generous. All I had to worry about was: did I pick each vineyard block a day too early or too late? Did I press the fermentation at just the right moment? The 2019 wines in this release are structured, refined, and smiling. The Another Shore 2019 seems to express having had a particularly rich and easy life, and is dazzling.