Unfamiliar Truth

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

Floral aromas combine with kirsch, dark rhubarb, coriander, tarragon and a hint of fresh vanilla bean. On the palate, the wine is shows well honed structure. Full of dark fruit, and a subtle hint of herbs de Provence as this very focused wine flows from front to back. Resulting in a medium bodied Grenache. There is good acidity from this cooler site creating tension.. This is a serious Grenache and really screams for some roasted rack of lamb.

Drink Now-2040

Winegrowing Approach

Grenache is both challenging and rewarding because the resulting wine is so transparent to each winemaking and vineyard decision. The vineyard at Spear Vineyard is the cooles Grenache site I have worked with yet. Whole cluster fermentation provides structure, flavor and aromas. To optimize color extraction, we chilled the juice and skins for 10 days prior to starting fermentation which we allowed to progress with its naturally occurring yeast. For further extraction during fermentation we applied punch-down, pump-over, and rack-and-return techniques.  After fermentation, we drained the "free run" wine from the fermenter into a brand new large puncheon (2.5 x the size of a normal barrel). We continued to stir the lees weekly.  After malolactic fermentation was complete we moved the wine, with its lees, to a neutral puncheon.  27 months later we carefully bottled this beautiful Grenache.