Vineyard
Rancho Salina Vineyard is a hillside estate located in Sonoma Valley on the western slope of the Mayacamas Range at an elevation of 750 – 1000 ft.. The steep hillsides are double vertically trellised for balanced sun exposure and the thin rocky soils stress the vines to produce small berries and low yields. As a result the Bordeaux varietals we harvest from Rancho Salina are deeply colored, concentrated and complex.

Vintage
For the most part, 1999 was a cool and dry season, with much less warm weather than normal. To ensure fully ripened fruit, extra steps were taken in the vineyard including: judicious irrigation to control growth and maintain uniformity as well as cluster thinning to promote ripening. Late September gave us the heat spell we needed to begin harvest, which went very quickly and was effectively over by October 23rd.

Vinification
Various blocks per varietal were combined to create a more complex and concentrated wine. Each block was fermented in open top fermenters and then placed in French and American oak for 18 months. The final blend was bottled in June of 2001 and enjoyed another full year of aging in bottle before release. Alcohol 14.5%, total acidity .65, pH 3.39, residual sugar .07.

Tasting Notes
Black currant and spice dominate with a hint of vanilla. Complex flavors balanced by chalky tannins and well-integrated oak provide this blend of classic Bordeaux varietals with structure to age for up to eight years with proper cellaring.

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