he deep blue-purple color of the Alicante Bouschet grape, juice and all, makes it a frequent contributor to old vine field blends with Zin and friends, but it is sometimes lacking in depth and finesse on its own…until now. In rare vintages like this one, it bursts with blueberry fruit flavors and a gentle kiss of creamy oak…a true wine geek’s delight! Don’t be afraid to age this one a while too; even though we have given it extra long barrel age as well as bottle age already, it will only improve with more time in the bottle.
Winemaker Notes:
Ripe blueberry fruit, lots of white pepper with a bit of black pepper. Massive mouthful of chewy tannins and very bright blueberry fruit. Slightly tart, long chewy finish—gimme a nice rib-eye!
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Harvest Date:
- October 23, 2019
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Average TA/pH at Harvest:
- TA 0.50 gm/100ml. pH 3.9
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Fermentation Characteristics:
- 3-day cold soak, fermented in 0.8-ton bins. Hand punched down twice/day. 9 days total on skins
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Cellar Storage/Aging:
- 2 years and 6 months in oak barrels--80% older French and 20% older American.
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Varietal:
- 92% Alicante Bouschet, 4% Zin, 4% Petite Sirah.
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Appellation:
- 96% Bastoni Vineyard, Riebli Rd, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma Co.
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Release Date:
- May 1, 2024
