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This is the first year Dashe Cellars has made a Petite Sirah from the Todd Brothers Ranch vineyard, and it is one of the darkest, most intense, and luscious wines we’ve ever made. Black-purple in color, it is certainly one of the most distinctive wines we’ve ever made!
2007 Todd Brothers Vineyard Petite Sirah, Alexander Valley
HISTORY
In previous years we had made tiny amounts of Petite Sirah from this vineyard, but never enough to bottle on its own—it was always put into a blend with zinfandel. But in 2007 we finally had enough Petite Sirah to make 125 cases of this special wine, and we are pleased that the inaugural wine reflects its origins so well. There is no question that this is one of our favorite vineyards in Sonoma County—a spectacular red rock slope on the steep hills of Geyserville, producing some of the most complex and individual wines in the region.
PRODUCTION
As is typical, we harvested the Todd Brothers Ranch Petite Sirah after the zinfandel grapes, in mid-September. The grapes were trucked to the winery in ˝ ton picking bins and then sorted on a conveyor belt on their way to the crusher. We fermented the grapes using our traditional method of native yeast fermentation, using the yeasts on the surface of the grapes to ferment the grape must. This native yeast method maximizes flavor, color, and complexity from the grapes. At dryness, the wine was gently pressed in a membrane press and pumped to traditional 60-gallon French oak barrels.
The wine was aged for 14 months in older French oak barrels—we prefer the flavor of the fruit to not be overpowered by too much oak flavor—so 95% of the barrels were three years old (or older). This wine is 100% from the Todd Brothers Ranch, and is 100% Petite Sirah. We feel this wine should easily improve with ten or more years of bottle age.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Varietals: 100% Petite Syrah from the Todd Brothers Ranch Vineyard
Appellation: Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.5% by vol.
Time in oak: 14 months
Oak: French; 5% two-year old oak, 95% older oak
Production: 125 cases, 750mL
Release date: October 1st, 2009
Sugg. retail price: $35.00 bottle, 750mL
Optimum time for consumption: 2009-2018
TASTING NOTES
Color : Purple-black
Aroma:: Aroma : Black current, blackberry, black pepper, roasted herbs, earthy, mineral, chocolate, anise, and roasted coffee
Taste: Taste : Explosive flavors of blackberry and black currant fruit, followed by spice, roasted herbs, chocolate, licorice, coffee, and clove spice. Great, thick mouthfeel and long, persistent finish of blackberry, chocolate, and coffee. Substantial tannins will soften with age. Sweet, intense, complex finish.
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