Beautiful dark red with ruby edges and deep red towards the center.
This wine opens with ripe berries, a back bone of oak, layered cassis, strawberry, plum and dense fruit with smokey earth. The palate is awake and pleasing, with medium tannins, a lengthy and full mouthfeel and progressive acidity. It finishes long with ripe fruit, red berries, a touch of oak and a lengthy underlay of spice. The smoke on the final palate is notable. It should age gracefully.
“To be a good winemaker is to be a good listener. We spend entire seasons listening to the vineyard, trying to balance the vine to its environment, water with the vine’s need, adjusting to the cycles. We watch the shoots, the clusters, the canopy and the cover crop. We put our ear to the proverbial ground at harvest, weighing the ripeness of the fruit with the health of the vine, the weather, projected remaining heat in the season, rain fall…. And “hear” when it is time to pick. We spend years listening to the wine in barrels, does it need more oak? Is it too tannic? Will it age longer? Does it need to be bottled?
I have spent 21 years listening to the Livermore Valley appellation and this spot, this valley, these vineyards with their history, they give me perspective. Leave the overwrought Cabs to the North, the mist enshrouded Pinots to the West. Give me glorious floral. Give me fruit driven blends. Let me hear the Grenache, the Petite Sirah and the Syrah grapes that enjoy deep soils, heated summers, and afternoon bay breezes only the east bay experiences. Put these varietals together, grown in this place, and the Livermore Valley pulls back the veil to bring you into its fold. This blend says “place”, it says “unique”, it says “Livermore Valley” like no other blend can.”
Dane Stark, winemaker
Brix at harvest: 24.5
Harvest date: 9/16-10/18/2022
Aging treatment: 80% Aged American Oak
20% New American Oak
