2019 Estate Tannat

• Varieties:
  100% Tannat
• Appellation:
  Templeton Gap District - Paso Robles
• Average brix at harvest:
  25.4
• Vineyard:
  Estate
• Alcohol:
  14.5%
• Acidity:
  0.70g/100ml
• pH:
  3.52
• Residual sugar:
  0.01 g/100ml
• Date bottled:
  December 18, 2020
• Cases produced:
  194
• Retail Price:
  $ 32.00

Growing conditions:
Abundant winter rainfall starting in December lasted until April. Multiple small rain events led to all of the moisture soaking into the vineyard soil profile. No frost and a mild spring produced a great fruit set. Judicious thinning coupled with a long warm summer led to an outstanding late harvest with excellent quality and yields.

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 13 days prior to pressing. After completion of malo-lactic fermentation, this tannat was aged for 20 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 2027-2032.

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.