Vintage
With some of the lowest yields in recent memory, 2005 will go down as one of our most successful and demanding vintages. Poor weather throughout California in the spring resulted in poor fruit set and consequently lower yields. Low yields and a perfect weather during prime ripening weather allowed us to harvest perfectly ripe fruit that was packed with concentrated flavors, yielding wines with delicious fruit.

Vineyards
Fat Buck Ridge, located on the Gist Ranch property, sits on a west-facing ridge of fractured sandstone and shale. The thin soils and low-vigor rootstock help keep Syrah, a notoriously vigorous vine, in check and allow for maximum flavor development. We thin the crop at verasion to ensure even ripening and pick when flavor development is at peak, not before or after.

Winemaking
We cold soaked our Syrah for a long 7 days and fermented the must in a combination of small 0.75-ton fermentors and larger 2-ton stainless-steel tanks. After 18 days on skins we gently pressed the wine to 50% new French Oak for 16 months where it rested sur-lee until being racked for bottling.

Tasting Notes
Notes of bacon, caramel and toasted black fruits are evident on the nose. The mouth features a mix of red and black fruit flavors as well as spice and violet notes. The oak is in moderation and the earth and terroir notes are present and defined. Full bodied but balanced and still a baby this should be even more harmonious in 3 years. A splash decant is highly recommended for consumption today.

TECHNICAL DATA:

Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains

WINEMAKER
Michael Martella

VINEYARDS
100% Gist Ranch Estate Vineyard

COMPOSITION
100% Syrah

Elevation: 1600 feet
Finished alcohol: 15.5%
Acid/pH: .60/3.85
Oak treatment: 50% New French Oak
16 Months
Total production: 203 cases
Retail price: $48.00

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