Palate
The wine is uber concentrated and ripe with blueberry and boysenberry fruit which are elegantly wrapped in a silky vanilla wrapping. The entry of this dense Petite is both tannic and bold while maintaining a juicy, overripe profile displaying ample acidity to balance the tannins and fruit concentration making it multidimensional and food friendly. The finish is so supple and smooth that you will miss it when it is gone.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for this wine come from Wilson Farms, a 3rd generation farm established in 1922. While their first grapes were planted to other varietals it became understood rather quickly that the best two varietals to grow there are both Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah. The planting we first started making wine from was 1978, but we have diversified into other blocks which allows us to make a more complex wine and achieve maximum color extraction. Part of what makes Clarksburg a special appellation is the cooling trend that comes in from the San Francisco Bay everyday at about 3:30 pm which sweeps the heat out of the valley floor and allows the grapes to maintain their natural acidity. I like to say this is a reverse cooling trend in that moderation (of heat) comes in the afternoon rather than the early mornings as it does on the coast.
