Our Wines
2008 Petite Sirah, Old Vines Napa Valley Estate
Growing Season
The 2008 growing season began with intense storms in January that brought high winds and heavy rains to the region. The precipitation soon waned and Napa received little more than 60% of its normal rainfall. The spring season was one of the driest on record with virtually no rainfall. The drier soils prompted vines to push out early which provided frigid, dry air to create conditions for the deepest and longest frost period in decades. After fruit set, fewer clusters with smaller berries were typical in the Valley. The dryness, cooler, consistent temps and less vine canopy added up to healthier vines but a lighter yield. We were able to produce a little more than 300 cases.
Winemaker Notes
True to previous years of elegance, this vintage provides a wider range of bright, high-tone fruit flavors emanating from the expected deep, dark color of the varietal. We are pleased by blackberry, fig, cinnamon, dark, Baker’s chocolate and licorice aromas and rewarded with flavors of red cherry, boysenberry, raspberry, and distinct vanilla on the palate. With soft tannins, this is a round, velvety, silky wine that will need little cellaring to enjoy.
Accolades!
92 Points Wine Spectator’s Inside; a member-only biweekly publication.
GOLD American Fine Wine Competition, Boca Raton, FL 2012
SILVER (as a new release!) Women’s International Wine Competition, 2011
SILVER San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2012
89 Points Wine Enthusiast Magazine, March 2012
2007 Petite Sirah, Old Vines Napa Valley Estate
Growing Season. The year began dry with some cold days, and the season continued dry, about 60% of normal precipitation. Temperatures were warmer than normal as winter continued into spring. The summer continued on the mild to cool side with one brief period of heat spikes around Labor Day. The crop was notably smaller due to the dry season. Sugar levels did accelerate the last week of August. The vintage was below average in terms of yields, but very promising quality.
Winemaker Notes. Consistent with previous years of dark color, richness, balance and elegance, this wine brings a hint of black berries, oak and cassis on the nose. Just what you’d expect from a 2007 vintage, there are layers of flavors ranging from bright fruits to a calming earthy nature that jump onto your palate. Here you’ll find boysenberry, red raspberry, leather, cloves and black tea to tickle your fancy. Midway, a lovely, soft texture rolls off into a surprise finish with a tiny more grip at the end in comparison to previous vintages. Slightly less than 500 cases will be there to greet an ever increasing demand for this year’s prize both for the eager-beavers and the more patient ones willing to hold off a dozen years for bottle bouquet to develop.
Accolades!
GOLD Grand Harvest Awards, 2011
91 Points! Wine Enthusiast Magazine
SILVER Riverside International Wine Competition
SILVER San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition
TOP FIVE from Girl with a Glass’s Alana Gentry
2006 Petite Sirah, Old Vines Napa Valley Estate
Growing Season
Growing Season. The year began with wet weather turning into a near flooding from the Napa River. Rain continued at times into spring delaying bud break. The warm sun came out in July for good, and vines began to bloom and set fruit. Then there was a record ten-day heat wave before the close of July. Turning to normal, the heat helped catch the vines up to a “normal.” Somewhat cooler weather arrived in August and continued through September allowing for moderately paced ripening. Our harvest of Petite Sirah came Saturday, October 14th as we squeezed by a week of cool weather and a little rain.
Winemaker Notes. Out of the historic and highly regarded David Fulton Vineyard comes yet another year of an outstanding Petite Sirah. Elegant but more inky and massive than the previous vintage this year’s prize leans a little more into the “Old World” camp as a welcomed companion alongside a plate of rich food. Laden with intense black fruit flavors, coated with a coco-like texture on the mid-pallet and sprinkled with cloves, leather, black tea, fresh pie dough and dark chocolate, this complex yet balanced wine will transform your ordinary meal into an evening of enchantment. Though it will cellar well, why wait?
2008 Our Sweet Petite, Old Vines, Napa Valley Estate
Our Sweet Petite is a fortified wine made from our over-ripe Petite Sirah grapes with grape brandy added at the precise moment during fermentation to create a delicious after dinner wine. This vintage is very well balanced: pleasingly sweet but not syrupy. It is available in 375 ml bottles only (splits.) We produced only one barrel = 50 cases.
84 Points Wine Enthusiast
BRONZE American Fine Wine Competition, Boca Raton, FL 2012
