2004 Two Creek Vineyard Rhone-blend Red
Vineyards
This proprietary cuvée hails from an old vine vineyard located at the confluence of two mountain streams which tumble down the slopes of Mount Madonna at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Head-trained and dry-farmed with extremely meager yields of only 0.5 - 1.5 tons per acre, the grapes of this field blend each offer a special component to the resulting wine The Carignane offers the wine bright fruit of strawberry and ripe, Bing Cherry. The Syrah provides the mid-palate mouthfeel and soft, rich tannins. While the Grenache brings a hint of white pepper to the finish. Together, these old vine gems create a wine that will delight for many moons to come.
In the Winery
The grapes were handpicked in mid October of 2004. Yields were extremely low depending upon varietal, 0.5 -1.5 tons per acre. Arriving at the winery, we destemmed the grapes and fermented them in small lots, utilizing the punch down method for cap management and maximum flavor extraction. The “whole-berry” fermentation combined with the cooler temperatures maintained in small lot fermentation allow us to produce a rich Rhone-blend, with all of its abundant fruit and spice intact, yet with softer, more subdued tannins. Following the wine's initial fermentation, we barreled the wine in a combination of French (70%) and air-dried American (30%) oak. The wine was bottled in mid May of 2006.
COLOR: Deep garnet
NOSE: Elegantly balanced with notes of cherry and strawberry complemented by an accent of white pepper and a touch of vanilla owing to oak aging.
MOUTH: Medium-bodied, with generous flavors of Morello cherry, seascape strawberry and a hint of vanilla.