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Maggie's Vineyard
92 pts.| Wine Spectator
Gold Medal | San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
This Sonoma Valley wine has a profound character, unveiling a captivating nose filled with the essence of ripe red fruits. Hints of red berries, dark chocolate, and peppery spice accented with bright acidity bring the wine to life. The wine’s vibrant flavors unravel across the palate with juicy notes of Bing cherry and just a touch of tart Fuji apple. The refreshingly balanced composition extends into an enjoyably long finish.
Vintage Notes
The 2021 growing season saw near-perfect growing conditions. With minimal winter rain, the vines were awakened with ideal moderate springtime temperatures, eliminating any frost threat to the developing buds. At most sites, fruit set was during the optimal timeframe due to warm, consistent conditions. Veraison occurred 7-10 days earlier than in previous years due to the temperate weather and minimal rain. Moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights throughout the summer months, with a few of the regular short-lived heat spikes, allowing for excellent flavor development. The year saw an early harvest, with 90% of the region’s grapes being picked before the late Fall.
Vineyard Notes
Maggie’s Vineyard is an 11-acre Italian “field blend” vineyard originally planted in the 1890s. It is located in the Sonoma Valley AVA, down by the Sonoma Golf Club. The vineyard is certified as a Registered Heritage Vineyard with the Historic Vineyard Society. Rosenblum Cellars leased portions of the vineyard in the mid-1990s as part of a long-term plan to rehabilitate the vineyard and improve production. St. Francis took over farming beginning in 2019. Tonnage yields vary from 1-4 tons/acre depending on block.
Winemaker Notes
Each vineyard block at Maggie’s is fermented separately as much as possible in order to showcase the unique qualities they have to offer. A short cold soak is performed on each tank, followed by a 7-10 day alcoholic fermentation at moderate temperatures to balance extraction with fruit aromas. After completion, each tank is barreled down to French barrels, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation. During this elevage period, the lots are tasted and evaluated before blend trials are performed prior to bottling.
