Greetings fellow wine Geeks and Geeks-in-training,
Well, here we are nearing the end of another interesting year. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe as we continue on with life’s journey. As the holiday season approaches, I encourage everyone to put their differences aside and remember that we are all part of humanity. Take time to reflect on and appreciate what you have accomplished in life to this point and focus on what you want your future to be.
The first wine in this release is the 2018 Late Harvest Syrah. We had the opportunity during harvest to let the Syrah hang on the vine a bit longer. The result is dark berry aromatics of blackberry and black current that greet your nose at first whiff. On the palate is a spiced berry compote with hints of fresh tobacco. I advise serving this at room temperature and decanting or letting the wine sit in your glass a few minutes after pouring. This allows the expressive flavors to truly grab you by the tongue and take you on an unforgettable wild journey through flavor euphoria.
The second release is something I’ve been excited about since joining the company as Senior Winemaker in 2018. The Heritage Dessert wine has finally arrived! Those of you who were at the March 2020 winemaker dinner at the 1850 tasting room in Sutter Creek have already had opportunity to enjoy this port style wine that I poured. Those dark berry and light spice notes have evolved even more since then. If you don’t like thick, chewy port style wines, then this IS the wine for you! My goal was to make this without the thick syrupy body that most people tend to associate with port style wines.
I hope all of you enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. Have a safe holiday season and we’ll see you in 2022!
Cheers!
Terry Goetze
Winemaker
Grape Whisperer
Certified Metal Head
2018 Late Harvest Syrah
China Creek Vineyard, El Dorado
China Creek Vineyard, El Dorado
TASTING NOTES: This jammy wine from the well-known China Creek Vineyard in Placerville is sure to be a crowd favorite! We recommend decanting it briefly or giving it a minute to open up in your glass, releasing aromas of blackberry, cola and bacon. On the palate you’ll find flavors of spiced berry compote and tobacco leading into a sweet and medium bodied finish.
WINEMAKING NOTES: In 2018 we had the opportunity during harvest, due to favorably mild weather, to let some of the Syrah hang on the vine a bit longer. We harvested at 32 brix instead of around 24 brix which we would harvest at for a dry wine. Brix is the measure of sugar in the grapes used for calculating potential alcohol. The grapes fermented for 21 days as the weather was starting to cool in the winery later in the season. Fermentation stopped when the wine reached about 15% alcohol, killing off the yeast and leaving natural residual sugar for this subtly sweet style of wine.
FOOD PAIRING: This wine is showcased best with rich savory dishes like a traditional holiday stuffing with sage or pulled beef sliders with caramelized onion jam, crispy pancetta, and a red wine reduction. Barbecue or smoked pork dishes would pair especially well.
AGING: We produced four barrels of this wine which aged for 24 months in two new medium toast French Oak and two new medium-plus toast American Oak barrels.
WINE SPECS
100% Syrah
15.3% alcohol
100 cases produced
$34 per bottle
Heritage Dessert Wine
Routon Vineyard, El Dorado
Routon Vineyard, El Dorado
TASTING NOTES: This Port-style wine is the perfect accompaniment to any dessert table! It is deeply garnet in color and full-bodied with a profile of dark fruit perfectly balanced with hints of caramel, cinnamon, tart cranberry, and light floral notes.
WINEMAKING NOTES: We fermented this wine until it was down to about 8 brix of remaining natural sugar, then stopped fermentation by fortifying with neutral spirit, followed by a two-month extended maceration on the skins before pressing. The extended maceration helped smooth out the wine’s structure and quell some of the alcohol bite.
FOOD PAIRING: We strongly recommend you pair this wine with a dark chocolate mousse with orange zest. This pairing truly allows this wine to soar! Chocolate cake, truffles, gingerbread, cheesecake, and candied nuts are also great choices for sweet pairings. For savory pairings we suggest blue cheese, either on a cheese plate or as a dip possibly with some bacon included.
AGING: Aged in neutral oak barrels for 36 months.
WINE SPECS
40% Touriga Nacional,
30% Souzao,
29% Tinta Cao,
1% Merlot blend
18.2% alcohol
35 cases produced
$40 per bottle
