VINEYARD NOTES: Having saved a remarkable, exquisitely ancient vineyard from imminent "Cabernetification," we continue to nurture its 130+ year old vines, capturing a character unfound in mere 120-year-old vineyards. An original field-planted block, these Carignan plants are interspersed with Palomino (white variety from Jerez) and Alicante (a rare black-fruited vine that produces some of the darkest juice on the planet). Its decomposed sandy soils make it impossible for the vine-pest phylloxera to survive, leaving these some of the last remaining self-rooted vines in the state.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES: The winemaking process is as unique as the vineyard itself, taking inspiration from centuries-old traditionwhile adding our own signature. Pitchforked from bin to tank, the berries remain intact and protected with a constant blanket of C02 until their native yeasts begin to ferment the grape sugars from the inside out. A slow mortification breaks down the color components in the skins infusing the juice inside the still-unbroken berries with a vibrant red hue. When fully dry, it is pressed in microlots and ushered into neutral oak and concrete vessels for the final stages of development. Bottled after 10 months, the 2014 Carignan extolls the virtues of its pedigree. Amazing depth of flavor from these rugged, ancient vines is captured in the most transparent method we could devise.
