Vineyard
As a virtual rock quarry, Sunny Slope Vineyard’s vines were planted in holes drilled or pick-axed out of fractured stone over 20 years ago. The deep roots – a result of maturity and years of laboring for water—combine with the warm southwest exposure to produce thick-skinned grapes which give us the concentrated flavors, inky color and extracted tannins that distinguish this vineyard.

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. Grapes for this wine were harvested on October 14th.

Vinification
Several blocks from this vineyard were picked and crushed to a single stainless steel tank and fermented with their indigenous yeast for 12 days and then placed in French and American oak for 19 months. After bottling in July of 2001 the wine underwent another 12 months of aging before its releases. Alcohol 13.9%, total acidity .65, pH 3.58, residual sugar .05.

Tasting Notes
Flavors of blackberry, bramble and chocolate are carried with elegant structure to the long, finely tannic finish.

< Back