Artesa Elements

Description

”VINTAGE 2010 started off with persistent winter rainfall which accumulated a good amount of underground water that is beneficial for vines to establish a healthy canopy later in the season. The wet winter also delayed the onset of the growing season followed by a cool and wet spring which spread out the fruit-set for almost 6 weeks. It was a cool summer up until the end of August when a short but extreme heat spell hit the vineyards which resulted in some sunburn that required an intensive after care in the vineyards. Our harvest started two weeks later than average and progressed at a slow pace with moderate temperature. 2010 was a cool vintage overall and produced elegant wine with phenomenal natural acidity.VINEYARDS The grapes for this wine were sourced from several vineyards in Sonoma County where generally warmer temperatures prevail. These vineyards range from mountainside which requires intensive viticulture, including canopy management for proper sun exposure, careful leaf removal and irrigation management to ensure vines achieve even and complete berry ripening to valley floor where uniformity and consistency come more naturally.WINEMAKING Hand harvested at night over a period of several weeks, the grapes for this wine were brought to the winery block by block, with the small lots maintained separately throughout the winemaking process. Grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and immediately placed in small, temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Once dry, the wine lots were placed in French oak barrelsa mixture of 35% new and 65% seasoned. The wine aged for eighteen months in barrel, with twice yearly rackings. The final blend was assembled through a series of successive tastings and bottled without fining.TASTING NOTES This blend showcases notes of blackberry cassis, blueberry, plums, and spice and delicate aromas of nutmeg, vanilla, caramel and toffee. A bold entry leads to refreshing berry flavors and superb acidity keeps the wines texture lively and flavors well-integrated. Mature tannins add complexity followed by a smooth finish. This is a one-of-a-kind wine that over delivers in the bottle.ColorDeep red color with crimson highlightsAromaAromas of red currant, cherry and a hint of strawberries dusted with cocoa powder.” – Artesa