Vineyard Notes
The 2017 Grenache is a blend of two neighboring vineyards. About 60% of the Grenache is comprised of Tablas Creek Clone A grown at our neighboring Kiler Grove Vineyard. The remaining Clone 362 Grenache and small addition of Syrah was grown on our Calcareous Estate Vineyard. The heavy limestone soils present on these two sites produce a unique expression of Grenache that provides ample depth and fruit yet remains true to a more elegant style with great acidity for the varietal. 2017 was a great vintage for Grenache, as the mild spring allowed for ample fruit set and the following warm summer concentrated the flavors of the large berries
Winemaker Notes
Both lots of Grenache were hand harvested and fermented in 3-ton open top concrete fermenters with about 10% of the grapes remaining whole cluster. For the first 10 days of ferment, only twice daily punch downs were performed for extraction. The whole clusters were then broken up by hand in tank and a 2 hour delestage performed to press out the juice. After a total of 16 days on skins, the ferments were bladder pressed and the free run and press fractions combined in a single tank. After a brief 2 hour settling to remove heavy lees, the wine was racked to once used French puncheons and remained there with no further racking for 16 months. The finished wine was then bottled with rough filtration to remove the lees.
