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Heritage Vines
Double Gold Medal | Sonoma County Harvest Fair | 2022
Tasting Notes
This blend is composed of Heritage Vines, all over 100 years old. This opulent red opens with aromas of lush black fruit and cocoa that tantalize the nose. Rich flavors of black cherry, espresso, and raspberry play on the palate before fading into a soft acidity, offering a sleek, velvety finish.
Vintage Notes
The 2019 harvest began before dawn on August 30. After a growing season that started in winter with record rainfall, the year ended with warm, even temperatures throughout summer. With few spikes in heat over the period, the vineyards had optimal conditions to develop full-flavored fruit with distinctive color and balanced acidity. Spring rains ended in time for a bountiful fruit set. The temperate summer allowed for long hang times and consistent, even ripening. We picked the majority of our fruit in September, and the weather continued to cooperate. October brought warm, breezy days, but fortunately, no rainfall, allowing the last of the grapes to be harvested by the end of the month.
Vineyard Notes
Eletto, meaning “the chosen one,” pays homage to the heritage old vine vineyards planted over 100 years ago. It was common for these pioneering farmers to ask for cuttings from neighbors and friends to fill out the vineyard. Over time the block became a traditional Italian “field blend” of over a dozen varieties, including Alicante, Petite Sirah, and Carignane, along with Zinfandel. This field blend, identified as “Mixed Blacks,” is picked and fermented together, having distinct characteristics, including more structure and acid than a traditional Zinfandel blend.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes are hand-sorted and undergo a five-day cold soak before fermentation to extract optimal color and flavor. After primary fermentation, the wine is pumped into French oak barrels, 20% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 28 months of aging before blending and bottling.
