This wine is a blend of 75% Madera AVA Sangiovese from Bruce Jackson’s vineyard, and 25% Italian Primitivo from Mosti Mondiali. A very small portion of small berry Syrah from Bruce’s vineyard was co-fermented with the Sangiovese.
The Madera AVA is characterized by heat, lots of it. Because of this, grapes ripen early, and acids can become unbalanced. Skin colour is also usually light compared to like grapes grown elsewhere.
This particular wine started out as a troublesome batch; the pH and Ta were not ideal; I had H2S problems, and the colour was poor. I probably learned more making this wine than any other previously. Liberal acid additions, doses of Copper Sulfite and Boskin, and gross filtering cured most of the ills; finally blending with the inky, over-oaked Primitivo from 2006 finished this wine into it’s current, pleasing, state.
It sat in a new, small format Hungarian barrel from Vadai for several weeks.
Total production under 4 cases.
The Sangiovese and Syrah were harvested 31-Aug-2008 with a Brix of 25, pH of 3.98 and a Ta of 8.3g/l.
Laurette Cisneros and Stacy Jones helped with the harvest.
The grapes were gently crushed by the feet of babes (Michelangelo and Isabella Alessio, with some help from their Mom and Dad)
The blending was done with the help of SaraGrace Keenan and Sean Petrie.
Bottling help was provided by SaraGrace and Kim DiGirolomo.
Special thanks to Bruce Jackson, who was more than generous in sharing his grapes with me.
The artwork on the label was done by my 4 year old daughter Isabella, who refers to this wine as “hers”. It is meant to represent a fairy drinking wine (she’s obsessed with Fairytopia right now)
right now)
