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This is our second bottling of Syrah from Clover Creek Vineyard, located a few miles southwest of Santa Ynez. The vineyard’s proximity to the Santa Ynez River moderates the warm temperatures characteristic of this part of the Valley. The resulting Syrah grapes achieve high sugar levels while retaining an amazing amount of natural acidity, giving the wine great balance.

The vineyard is planted to two clones of Syrah: Estrella and 877. This year, the 877 clone was harvested a week later than the Estrella clone. Each lot was fermented and aged separately. In order to emphasize the fruit, we used only 23% new oak barrels for aging this wine. It was blended and bottled in April 2007.

The wine has a very dark, almost purple color. The aromas are an intense mixture of boysenberries and blackberries with a hint of oak vanillin. On the palate the wine’s richness is immediately evident with succulent flavors of wild berries, which is then quickly lightened by the liveliness of its high acidity. This gives the wine a long, refreshing finish.

This Syrah can accompany a wide variety of food, especially grilled meats and flavorful cheeses.

Rick Longoria, Winemaker
October 2007

Composition:  Syrah – Clover Creek Vineyard  (97%)
Grenache – Alisos Vineyard  (3%)

Production: 215 cases
Alcohol by volume: 15.3%
pH: 3.27
Titratable acidity: .76 g/100 ml.
Cellaring potential: Three to five years
Bottle price: $32

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