Nose
A swirl of the glass will reveal toasted nuts and chocolate with dried red and dark fruit.
Palate
Further study reveals an earthiness we attribute to the Mourvedre grown in the Rocks AVA. The finish is soft with rounded tannins.
Harvest
All of these wines were harvested at different times. Syrah is an early ripener whereas Grenache and Mourvedre tend to be later ripeners.
Syrah - 9/25
Mourvedre - 10/15
Grenache - 10/22
Winemaking
The Mourvedre was saignee to concentrate colors, flavors, and aromas. There was a 48-hour cold soak to extract more anthocyanins from the skins before innoculation. All three wines were fermented and aged separately and blending happened 3 months before bottling to lets the flavors meld together.
Food Pairing
Pair this wine with roasted duck breast and cranberry chutney over risotto.