Nose
fresh blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum and framboise aromas, with light pepper, sage and briar scents adding complexity.
Palate
On the supple palate, the wine is a mouthful of juicy, grapey, blackberry, plum skin and dark cherry flavors with briary spice notes adding zest to the lengthy, fruitful finish. This unique, fruit-forward red is meant to be savored in its youth
Growing Conditions
After the long, cool growing seasons of 2005 and 2006, 2007 brought a change of pace. Winter and spring were unusually dry with above-average temperatures, which accelerated budbreak and bloom. Summer was mild, with few heat spikes, which led to an early, fast-paced harvest of fruit with perfectly ripened flavors balanced by supple tannins and vibrant acidity.
Winemaking
Rubáiyat is a blend of numerous small lots of grapes harvested at different times from multiple vineyard sites. The blend changes every year, providing winemaker Julianne Laks with the opportunity to be creative. In general, Julianne selects lighter-bodied, fruitier lots for Rubáiyat. These are kept separate and fermented primarily in small, open-top tanks with manual punchdowns of the cap, a method that gently macerates the juice and skins to extract optimal color and flavor. The lots for our 2007 Rubáiyat aged 15 months in French oak barrels, 38% new, before blending.
Aging
15 months in French oak barrels, 38% new
Food Pairing
burgers, barbecued chicken, grilled lamb and other Mediterranean-style dishes
