Syrah 2021
Varietal:
95% Syrah, 5% Viognier
Alcohol:
13%
Vinification Notes:
Whole cluster (stems intact) co-fermentation of Syrah and Viognier sealed in a tank (semi-carbonic maceration). After opening the tank, the uncrushed fruit was foot-tread and pumped-over to gently extract tannin. Pressed prior to dryness and aged in neutral oak barrique and larger 500L puncheons for 29 months before bottling, and then aged an additional 9 months in bottle before release. Unfined. Unfiltered. Sediment expected.
Vineyard:
Grist Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County; planted in the 1970’s atop Bradford Mountain (1,000’ elevation); farmed according to organic principles; iron-rich red volcanic soils.
Martha's Notes
This is our second Californian celebration of a traditional French technique, co-fermenting mountaintop Syrah with a small percentage of white Viognier grapes. When fermented together, the Viognier skins stabilize and deepen Syrah’s inky color (flavanols reacting with anthocyanins to form highly stable polymers) and brings added freshness to Syrah’s gamier notes. Of course the chemistry of why a dark wine becomes darker when adding white grapes wasn’t well understood centuries ago when this practice started in the northern Rhône valley, which is both a testament to legacy and the excitement of applied science.
Production Notes
Production: 232 cases
At Bottling:
(February 2023): 13% alc/vol · Free SO2 6 mg/L, Total SO2 27 mg/L · Less than 1 g/L sugar (dry) · All wines are vegan
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