Nose
Aromas of blue fruits, mulberry, cinnamon, peppercorn and earth.
Palate
The mouthfeel is round, supple and dense with high-toned flavors of black cherry and cranberry-pomegranate underpinned by notes of mint, leather and smoked meat. Intense dark fruits and peppery spices linger on a remarkably persistent finish.
Growing Conditions
This distinctive blend comes from the Highlands District of southeastern Paso Robles. The Petite Sirah comes from a renowned vineyard that is planted to sandy loam soils mixed with calcareous ancient sea bed fossils. This ideal soil profile allows the old Petite Sirah vines to be grown with low-intervention farming, resulting in a wine of intense color and structure. The Lagrein comes from another well known vineyard—one of just a few sites planted to this alternative Italian variety. This vineyard is marked by 1,600-foot elevations and cooling afternoon breezes, which foster the deep color and balanced tannins for which Lagrein is prized.
The 2022 growing season was slightly warmer than average. Mild conditions prevailed through spring and early summer, followed by a heat wave and extended warm temperatures in September that accelerated fruit ripening. On average, the grapes were picked a week earlier than typical.
Winemaking
After harvest, the Petite Sirah and Lagrein lots were fermented in stainless steel tanks over a period of 10 to 14 days. Extended macerations and carefully managed pumpovers enhanced the extraction of color and tannin.
Aging
The lots were barrel aged separately for nine months. The Petite Sirah was matured in 25 percent twice-used French oak barrels as well as neutral French and American oak barrels, while the Petite Sirah was aged in 100 percent new French oak barrels. The lots were racked just once prior to final blending and bottling.
