Fore Family Vineyards: Late Harvest Grenache-Syrah (54%-Grenache and 46%-Syrah), Cobb Mountain Vineyard, Lake County 2017
This wine was created out of a desire to offer a rich, balanced wine with a port-like experience. Hence the Grenache fruit came in with a Brix level over 32 degrees (higher than my scale) and the syrah slightly lower. The grapes were allowed to naturally ferment (no yeast added) in a small stainless steel tank at about 90 degrees. The wine stopped fermenting at the levels you taste now. Just under 18% alcohol and a nice touch of residual sugar. The wine spent 18 months in a mix of French Oak before being filtered and bottled.
Nose; a little bit of heat from the higher alcohol followed by deeper aromas of fresh tobacco leaf, dark sweet plums a hint of vanilla and spices
Mouth; in the port-style, the higher alcohol is present at the start. Right away the wine is complex and delicious. The alcohol is balanced nicely by the lively acidity and finally the level of sweetness. orange zest, bing cherries, allspice, and some vanilla. The tannins are smooth and even and linger on the finish.
375mL
Harvest date: October 19, 2017
pH: 3.66
Ta: 0.76
Alc: 17.3%
Cases produced: 345
Color: Dark ruby to plum
