2020 Estate Tannat

• Varieties:
  100% Tannat
• Appellation:
  Templeton Gap District - Paso Robles
• Average brix at harvest:
  25.1
• Vineyard:
  Estate
• Alcohol:
  14.5%
• Acidity:
  0.71g/100ml
• pH:
  3.53
• Residual sugar:
  0.02 g/100ml
• Date bottled:
  December 18, 2020
• Cases produced:
  98
• Retail Price:
  $ 32.00

Growing conditions:
Minimal winter rainfall until a wet March averted an extreme drought. No frost events but windy conditions during bloom led to a smaller fruit set. The lighter crop coupled with a long warm summer led to an outstanding earlier, small harvest with excellent quality.

Winemaking:
The grapes were hand harvested, then crushed into a stainless steel fermentor. 48 hours later, the must was inoculated with D-80 yeast then pumped over twice daily for 14 days prior to pressing. After completion of malo-lactic fermentation, this tannat was aged for 24 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels prior to bottling.

Tasting notes:
Contains a delightful aroma profile best described as spicy, finished with ripe red fruit and floral highlights. Fresh ground white pepper and crushed fresh thyme predominate with lush red fruit notes in the background. this wine is a mouthful with an elegant sufficiency of rich tannins and toasty oak followed by an extended, rich finish.

Cellaring:
While enjoyable now, this intense Tannat will continue to improve with proper cellaring for another 5-10 years in the bottle with a plateau of best drinkability from 2030-2034.

Food selection:
Best match for rare beef and most spicy dishes! Rich, red, sauces, Cajun, and elegant pizzas and pasta dishes of all types are enhanced with this concentrated Tannat.