2006 St. Clare Bordeaux-Red
Vineyards
The grapes for this wine were grown on a southfacing- slope of the Diablo range located on the edge of the Santa Clara Valley of California's San Francisco Bay appellation. The cool region II climate there provides perfect conditions for the expression of intense varietal character in traditional Bordeaux varietals. In the evenings, cool breezes blow through the Pajaro Gap to the west. This cooling allows for the formation of a supple yet firm structure while providing depth on the palate. The warm, sunshine-filled days with their temperate heat create optimal conditions for the formation of the classic Bordeaux characters of cassis, ripe plum, and black cherry.
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In the Winery
The grapes were harvested by hand in late October 2006. Yields were average, 3.0 tons per acre. Arriving at the winery, we destemmed the grapes and fermented them in small lots in open top fermentors. Over the next two weeks, the grapes were macerated using the traditional punch down method. The whole-berry fermentation combined with the cooler temperatures maintained in small lot fermentation allow us to produce a rich wine, with all of its abundant fruit intact.
Following the wine's initial fermentation, we barreled the wine in French oak. The varietal composition of the final blend is as follows: Merlot - 45%; Malbec - 25%; Petit Verdot - 20%; Cabernet Franc - 10%. The wine was bottled in early September of 2010. Less than 300 cases were produced.
