VARIETY Syrah
LOCATION Chiricahua Foothills, Arizona
VINEYARD Red Tree Ranch Vineyard
VINIFICATION The Syrah grapes were hand picked with the help of friends and transported to Arizona Stronghold in Camp Verde, Arizona for vinification. The grapes were cold soaked for 2 days, then destemmed and fermented with native yeasts on the skins for 14 days with several punch downs a day before being pressed off at dryness into one puncheon. The wine was aged sur lie for ~9 months with no bâtonnage. Racked once before bottling. Unfined, unfiltered with 30 PPM of added SO2 (15 PPM when the grapes arrived at the winery, 15PPM a week before bottling).
EXPRESSION Herbal and savoury on the nose, desert scrub and dried sage, cracked green peppercorn, with a warm boozy lift and a smoky, woodsy edge behind it. Then the palate flips it: a punch of dark fruit, blackberry and black plum, medium plus bodied with real juiciness, tobacco and spice trailing behind. Tannins are supple and the whole thing finishes long and savoury, with just a flicker of dissolved carbon dioxide keeping it lively.
VARIETY Syrah
LOCATION Chiricahua Foothills, Arizona
VINEYARD Red Tree Ranch Vineyard
VINIFICATION The Syrah grapes were hand picked with the help of friends and transported to Arizona Stronghold in Camp Verde, Arizona for vinification. The grapes were cold soaked for 2 days, then destemmed and fermented with native yeasts on the skins for 14 days with several punch downs a day before being pressed off at dryness into one puncheon. The wine was aged sur lie for ~9 months with no bâtonnage. Racked once before bottling. Unfined, unfiltered with 30 PPM of added SO2 (15 PPM when the grapes arrived at the winery, 15PPM a week before bottling).
EXPRESSION Herbal and savoury on the nose, desert scrub and dried sage, cracked green peppercorn, with a warm boozy lift and a smoky, woodsy edge behind it. Then the palate flips it: a punch of dark fruit, blackberry and black plum, medium plus bodied with real juiciness, tobacco and spice trailing behind. Tannins are supple and the whole thing finishes long and savoury, with just a flicker of dissolved carbon dioxide keeping it lively.
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