Current Release is the 2006 Grenache

2006 "Whole Cluster" Grenacheis the Wine Future Offering

Current Release:

The 2006 Grenache, Santa Barbara County is a gripping, dark wine with aromas of plum, dried flowers and spice, a high-tannin mouth feel, and a lingering finish. Made with fruit from the Thompson and Stolpman Vineyards, it is a big, multifaceted wine. Tablas Creek and Alban grape clones make the wine deeper and more aromatic. The Davis 1 clone adds notes of strawberry and cola, plus its characteristic mouth “grip”. Mostly older French and American Oak barrels were used allowing the native grape tannins show through to fill your palate. (370 cases produced – very limited)

• The wine is a blend of three Grenache clones: Tablas Creek Clone (35%), Alban Clone (21%) and Davis Clone 1 (44%).
• The Stolpman Vineyard Tablas Creek Clone Grenache was harvested October 26th at 27.8 brix, 3.4 pH.
• The Stolpman Vineyard Alban Clone Grenache was harvested October 10th at 27.4 brix and 3.4 pH.
• The Thompson Vineyard Davis Clone Grenache was harvested October 30 at 27.2 brix and 3.4 pH.
• The fruit was stemmed but not crushed. Intact, whole berries were placed in small bin boxes, chilled for 24 hours, and went through 14 days of fermentation.
• No Syrah was added to this wine.
• The must was inoculated with D254, RC 212 and W.S. yeast.
• Went through ML fermentation completing in January.
• Two new American, two new French, and eleven older barrels were used in the making of this wine. This preserves the delicate aromatics of the wine and exposes the native grape tannins.
• This wine fills the mouth with tannins felt high in your cheeks and under the back of your tongue (that’s good). When young, it is fruit driven (plums, rhubarb, strawberries, pomegranate). With age, the cola and spice aromas come out.
• Racked in early July and again before bottling.
• Unfined and lightly filtered.
• Bottled in August 2007.
  

Retail Price $34.00

Wine Future Offering is the 2006 "Whole Cluster" Grenache (September Release)

The 2006 "Whole Cluster" Grenache, Santa Barbara County embraces the traditional stemmy nature of the grape. It is at once gripping and soft, with coffee and plum flavores, and allspice and earthen aromas. It still has a high-tannin mouth feel, and a lingering finish. No new oak barrels were killed in the making of this wine. (74 cases produced – very limited)

• The Stolpman Vineyard Tablas Creek Clone Grenache was harvested October 26th at 27.8 brix, 3.4 pH.
• The Stolpman Vineyard Alban Clone Grenache was harvested October 10th at 27.4 brix and 3.4 pH.
• Tablas Clone fruit was left whole cluster, foot stomped, and fermented for 7 days after a 24 hour cold soak.
• Alban Clone fruit was stemmed but not crushed. Intact, whole berries were placed in small bin boxes, chilled for 24 hours, and went through 14 days of fermentation.
• The must was inoculated with D254 and RC 212 yeast.
• Went through ML fermentation completing in January.
• No new oak barrels were used in the making of this wine.
• Racked in early July and again before bottling.
• Unfined and lightly filtered.
• Bottled in May 2008.

Retail Price $42.00.

The Stolpman Vineyard has a beautiful, rolling site at the north end of Ballard Canyon in the Santa Ynez Valley. The limestone in the soil and the steep slopes stress the vines to help produce extracted fruit flavors. Its relatively cool micro-climate allows the grapes to hang late into the harvest season. 

Food Pairing:   This wine is slightly lighter than our other reds wines and pairs with a wide variety of foods.  It is a superb Thanksgiving or Easter feast wine.  Its fine tannin structure and grapey- pomegranate-spice aroma goes well with foods you might pair with a good Pinot Noir.  Try it with braised or roasted beef, game hens, roast pork with baked apples.  Less sweet, fruit sauces work well - try cherries, raspberries, or even black figs.