2008 MARSANNE “SANTA YNEZ VALLEY”
This
wine is 81% Marsanne and 19% Roussanne from the following vineyards: 63%
Marsanne from Ibarra-Young Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley; 18% Marsanne
from Purisima Mountain Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, 10% roussanne from
Hearthstone Vineyard on the Westside of Paso Robles and 9% Roussanne from
Stolpman Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.
We
started harvest on September 4th with the Purisima grapes… brought in the
Hearthstone grapes on September 9th… continued with the Ibarra-Young grapes
on the 22nd of September… and finished with the Stolpman grapes on October
16th. I like to pick Marsanne when it just starts getting ripe (around
21.5° brix) with balanced alcohol and great refreshing acidity. If you pick
Marsanne to ripe it gets heavy and flat.
The
grapes were whole cluster pressed, chilled and settled for 48 hours, then
put into neutral French oak barrels for fermentation, complete malo and 8
months aging. We bottled 1284 cases of 750ml and 151 cases of half bottles
in early June 2009.
This is
a classic example of our Marsanne— flinty, minerally, and with just a hint
of green pear and orange rind. The wine has refreshing acidity, impeccable
balance and all at 12.6% alcohol. Marsanne with balance like this is very
age worthy. Drink this as a refreshing aperitif or with seafood and lighter
fare over the next year or so - or put it down for at least 10 years for a
complex, honey-nut experience.
