Spicerack Syrah 2018

These Syrah bunches were hand-harvested and field-sorted on September 17 and October 9 and hand-sorted, destemmed & crushed (10% whole berry) and “cold soaked” for two days in open-top temperature-controlled fermenters. Warm fermentation temperature (85°) moved fermentation along and we kept the cap well immersed in its delicious must. A modest co-ferment with some Viognier added aromatics and stabilized color. The still-fermenting musts were gently pressed into French oak barriques where it completed primary and later, secondary fermentations. The press fractions were about 9% because we want to avoid the bitter seed tannins and were kept separate and ultimately not used. French barrel coopers were top quality, but less than 30% new. Eleven months barrel maturation was supplemented with two rackings which developed its wonderfully smooth but subtle mouth-feel. Our final assemblage of nineteen barrels was bottled in February 2019. Medium ruby-red and enjoyable now, it displays the varietal typicity of fine syrah with nuances of a fine spicerack.