2023 Petite Sirah

The Growing Season

We view the 2023 Mendocino County harvest as atypical and fairly unique, but in a good way.  Grapes were delayed by 2-3 weeks due to a slow start and a cooler than usual spring and summer. We saw a mix of reds and whites being harvested simultaneously. However, the longer hang times and cooler temperatures produced one of the best vintages seen in the last 20 years with grape quality being at what we consider exceptional levels.  Yields ranged from average in some Mendocino County AVAs to much higher in others, but the constant was the outstanding quality of the fruit.  The red wines are showing an exemplary balance between tannins and acidity, while showing marvelous depth and complexity.

Winemaking

These Petite Sirah grapes come from head-trained vines that are planted at 1100 ft. elevation on a fairly steep slope which allows for a wonderful expression of dark fruit characteristics with excellent integration of tannins. We employed a small percentage of whole-cluster in the fermentation to help promote a more complex aromatic and textural profile. After primary fermentation the wine was aged in neutral barrels until where it was bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The Land

The grapes for our Petite Sirah come from the Biodynamic Dark Horse vineyard in the eastern foothills of Mendocino County. This vineyard contains a multitude of beneficial plants and insects that allow the vines to thrive naturally. The vineyard is dry farmed and the soil is made up of a plethora of organic matter that feeds each grapevine’s root zone wholesome nutrients, which in turn leads to healthy, delicious fruit. Mendocino County has a diverse range of microclimates, from cool, coastal, elevated mountain vineyards, to hot inland hills and valleys that are ideal for Petite Sirah.  These areas have dynamic weather characteristics that are influenced by fog and cool air flows from the Pacific Ocean. During the summer months Mendocino County can experience very hot days, but the vines are able to recover in the evening due to the cool coastal breezes blown in from the Pacific Ocean. This cooling effect helps create a slightly longer growing season and good retention of acidity.  Mendocino County is the northernmost growing region of the North Coast AVA and is known for its distinctive terroir, boasting alluvial soils with their sand, silt and clay mixture, and its unique weather patterns that are particularly well-suited for growing grapes with vibrant acidity and complex, yet balanced fruit flavors.