Plumpjack Estate Syrah

Description

Vintage 2014 was a vintage to remember. We saw an unseasonably warm and dry winter, which resulted in budbreak about three weeks earlier than normal. The temperatures remained warm throughout spring bringing early bloom. The summer months brought ideal weather, which gave our grapes some time to develop flavor without rapidly accumulating sugar. We saw a heat spike in September that sent some vintners scrambling, but we held fast and our grapes made it through in great condition, and the results were wines with great beauty, depth, and grace.Fermentation And Ageing Thirty-five percent of our Syrah grapes were destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks and thirty percent were destemmed and fermented in concrete tanks. These grapes were cold-soaked for 2 to 3 days, fermented at a maximum temperature of 92 F, and after 10 days they were pressed off the skins. The remaining 35% was whole-cluster fermented in open-top fermenters. These grapes were cold-soaked for 2 days, then fermented at a maximum temperature of 88 F, and the wine was pressed off the skins after 7 days. After pressing, the wine was transferred to French oak Burgundy barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine was kept on heavy lees for several months and was stirred twice a month during this time. The coopers used in this wine include Francois Freres and Meyrieux, of which, 65% were new barrels. The wine was aged in these barrels for 16 months prior to bottling.Winemaker Impressions Our Syrah grapes are sourced from two incredible vineyards in the Napa ValleyHudson in Los Carneros and Stagecoach on Atlas Peak. These unique AVAs provide this wine its signature characteristics. The cool, foggy Hudson Vineyard imparts this wine with a smoky and gamey nose layered with white and black pepper along with some floral notes, while the sunny and rocky Stagecoach Vineyard expresses the typicity and elegance of mountain fruit – intense and concentrated, with aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, and huckleberry pie. On the palate, the Hudson Vineyard brings beautiful, bright raspberries, black pepper, finesse, and a lively acid, whereas the Stagecoach Vineyard adds dark fruit, great concentration and formidable structure. The whole-cluster fermentation adds a deeper level of complexity mixing in a dash of green peppercorn and spice on the nose while the oak imparts a toasty smoke on the nose and a silky bittersweet chocolate to the finish. – Plumpjack