2006 Signature Selection Syrah, Temecula Valley

The small, individual lots of grapes comprising the 2006 Signature Selection Syrah were brought into the winery in the early morning hours where they were gently crushed and sent to small stainless steel fermentation tanks. After a "cold soak" period of 48-72 hours each lot was inoculated with a special strain of yeast, enhancing richness and varietal characteristic. During a 7-10 day fermentation each lot of wine was ╥pumped over╙ the cap of skins twice daily, extracting color, flavor and structure from skins. After an extended maceration of 14-21 days, the free-run wine was racked by gravity flow to new French oak barrels for ageing, during which malo-lactic fermentation took place, further softening the acidity of each wine. After 18 months in barrel the final blend was assembled and returned to barrel for an additional six months to allow for full integration of the components, all leading to a soft, rich and complex wine.

Hand-crafted from small carefully selected lots, the 2006 Signature Selection Syrah is full-bodied and complex with soft silky tannins framing the rich blackberry, black currant and plum flavors. Layers of black pepper, vanilla, tobacco and coffee lead the way to a smooth lingering finish.