Nose
bright, come-hither aromas of toasted black cherry, raspberry, blueberry and red plum fruit coupled with a pleasing vanilla tone and a hint of brown spice.
Palate
Rich and juicy on the palate, with nicely concentrated blackberry and black cherry flavors well-structured by bright acidity and smooth, round tannins, the wine picks up a zesty spice tone on the long, flavorful finish
Growing Conditions
In 2013, a warm, dry spring initiated early budbreak, ensured trouble-free vine flowering and grape set, and led to a consistently mild summer fostering steady, even ripening and grapes with wonderful flavor concentration. The fruit for Rubáiyat was hand-picked and night-harvested, to enhance freshness and varietal intensity, between August 27th and September 26th, 2013.
Winemaking
Rubáiyat is a case study in the art of blending. Each year, our winemaker, Julianne Laks, blends multiple small lots of separately harvested, fermented and aged red wines from our cellar to fashion a smooth, richly fruity red that beautifully accompanies a diverse range of casual meals. Each lot is hand-harvested at night to preserve freshness and fruit purity and fermented in small, open-top, stainless steel tanks, using manual punchdowns to gently macerate the juice and skins and extract optimal color and flavor. The 2013 Rubáiyat aged for a total of 14 months in French oak barrels, 36% new, with the component wines blended shortly before bottling to capture the wine’s ripe, fruit-forward aromas, lush, juicy flavors and supple tannins.
Aging
14 months in French oak barrels, 36% new
Food Pairing
grilled burgers, steaks and sausages, barbecued ribs and chicken, and rich, tomato-based pastas.
