The Malbec grapes that produced this wine are from Bells Echo Vineyard near Hopland. A long way from Argentina, the vineyards are sited along Feliz Creek Canyon heading west and then north from Hopland. Near harvest, the sun sets behind the western mountain ridge in the late afternoon protecting the fruit from extreme heat. It cools off each morning due to being located at the bottom of the mountain drainage. The Malbec grapes were fermented in two stainless steel tanks and punched down, rather than pumped, to keep the tannins supple.
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Harvest crush interns Lila and John punching down a tank of fermenting red must.
The carbon dioxide generated during fermentation lifts the skins to the surface. The drying skins form a cap about a foot thick and it takes some strength to break the cap up and shove it back into the juice. Navarro has a dozen of these open-top fermenters that we punch down twice a day. A good workout! ![[below]](/images/buttons/arrow_down.gif)
The Petit Verdot, a late-ripening variety, is sited on a rocky south-facing knoll on Yorkville-Squaw-Witherell soils just south of Ukiah. Famously concentrated in color and tannin, Petit Verdot is a replacement for Tannat which is traditionally blended with Malbec. We tasted the fermentation twice daily and chose to press off at 8.5° Brix, when the wine tasted concentrated but not drying in structure. Both wines were subsequently aged in seasoned French oak barrels for 11 months and after blending trials a cuvée was selected in August 2022. Bright fruit and earthy aromas are supported by flavors of black plum, soy, tobacco and a smooth umami finish.
Gold Medal winner. Best of Class. 93 points.
