VARIETAL & VINEYARD: This Southern Rhone-style wine is 77% Grenache, 16% Syrah and 7% Mourvedre from our creekside vineyards planted in 1998. The primary component of this blend comes from a 2.9 acre block, planted to three clones of Grenache Noir. We obtained the bud-wood from Tablas Creek and Alban Vineyards. These clones, selected from Chateauneuf du Pape, give darker color and better structure than the majority of Grenache planted in California. The Syrah used in this blend comes from Northern Rhone clones (174, 877, 383 and 470) while the Mourvedre (bud-wood also from Tablas Creek) comes from three rows planted alongside our Grenache. Our vines are planted on low-vigor rootstock to 4’x 6’ spacing.

VINTAGE/HARVEST: The 2004 vintage was a tricky one for us. An early bud-break, combined with no-fog mornings from mid-August to mid-September caused severe dehydration of the grapes. Despite these conditions, we patiently waited until the flavors were as the French would say, surmaturite, which is when Grenache develops its most interesting flavors. We harvested our Grenache October 13th through Oct 16th at an average of 27-degree brix. In an attempt to achieve Chateauneuf-like results, we routinely drop 50 to 60% of the crop, limiting the yield to 7 pounds per vine.

VINIFICATION: Upon crushing into to small, open-top tanks, we drain a portion of the juice (10 to 15%), a method commonly used in the Rhone called saignée, to intensify color and structure. After a five day cold-soak, the fermentation begins spontaneously with indigenous yeast. The open top tanks allow us to work the must by punching down each tank twice daily. We rack out of barrel only once to preserve fruit. As is done in Chateauneuf du Pape, we blend Syrah and Mourvedre for color, body and complexity. This wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after aging 13 months in older, neutral French oak.

STYLE/DESCRIPTION: I am proud to say this is one of the few California Rhone-style blends that will have you thinking of the Vaucluse (Southern Rhone). It has intense aromatics of raspberry, tar, pepper, dried herbs, with a silky, sexy texture on the palate. It is a skosh riper and lower in acid than our previous vintage. Is this my favorite Unti wine? Ya think? It should improve until September 24, 2007. After that, drink it as often as possible.

~Mick