Varietal
Malbec, one of the classic red Bordeaux grapes, is an early ripener that yields soft wines of low acidity, moderate tannins, good color and fruit flavors reminiscent of blueberries. Malbecâs popularity continues to grow as enthusiasts discover its lushness and age ability.

Vintage
2001 may be remembered as a comeback vintage. After cool and late vintages from Î98 through Î00 we welcomed a warmer, earlier harvest. The growing season began with a late frost that damaged grapes in locations where frost usually isnât a concern. Few vineyards were affected but in those few cases, damage was severe. Once over that hurdle the growing season was much improved, bloom saw nearly perfect conditions for fruit set and we had a long, warm summer. Like so many harvests 2001 had its ups and downs - a heat spike in late August and early September drove sugar levels ahead of flavor development and all varieties were looking like they would ripen at once. On September 9th things cooled down through the end of the month which allowed flavors to develop in red varieties and gave time to harvest early reds. On the 1st and 2nd of October the heat came back to push the late reds over the hump. The last lots of grapes were crushed by mid-October to mark the earliest finish since 1997 and with similar quality. Across the board the 2001 vintage produced rich ripe wines with great intensity and structure.

Vinification
The Blue Rock Vineyard fruit was fermented in small, open top bins and punched down by hand while fruit from Rolling Knolls was fermented in a pumpover tank. The wines were pressed at dryness and then placed in a combination of 2 and 3 year old French oak barrels for 19 months. The final wine was blended and bottled in June of 2003. Alcohol 14.5%, TA .6, pH 3.86, Residual sugar .02.

Tasting Notes
This is a rich, fleshy Malbec, with flavors reminiscent of blackberry jam, pepper, oak, rhubarb, and leather. Very long finish. Serve it with spaghetti alla Bolognese (spaghetti in tomato sauce with chicken livers), risotto with two cheeses, braised kidneys with mushrooms, roast duck, veal parmigiana (breaded cutlets, with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce), and beef empanadas (pastry with beef and vegetable filling).

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