2015 Malbec

DESCRIPTION

Malbec is aged for 28 months in French Oak barrels. It is medium-bodied and has notes of robust berries, cherry, and dark chocolate.

WINEMAKING NOTES

Our reds are harvested, crushed and cold soaked for 3-4 days. After that, they are inoculated with their specific yeast strain depending on varietal and stylistic choice. We will perform 2 daily pump overs and delestage on days 6, 7, and 8. They will be pressed out around day 18. They will then barrel age for around 24 months before bottling.

VINEYARD NOTES

Malbec is from Wild Horse Peak vineyard. This 125-acre vineyard is located on the Palomar Mountain range bordering the Cleveland National Forest. These vineyards are at elevations of 2,100 to 2,300 ft. The high elevation and wide diurnal range that this vineyard experiences are ideal conditions to grow many red varietals. Cool nights and mornings turn into warm daytime temperatures and allow the grapes to ripen slowly, retaining their acid and accumulating sugar. This intensifies their varietal characteristics for prominent aromas and flavors. This vineyard has soils of loam, sandy loam and decomposed granite which are good for grapevine growth with its mixture of sand, silt and clay. It can drain effectively but also keeps nutrients and water available for the vines. This vineyard is irrigated from our reservoir that depends on Southern California winter rains that can fall between December and March. We maintain a balance with this ecosystem of chaparral and oak woodland of the surrounding area by allowing native plants to grow between the grapevine rows and throughout the surrounding vineyard area. The variety of animals, birds and insects that can be seen in the vineyard area are an indication to the healthy ecosystem that we are a part of.