Production: 75 Cases

Release Date:October 2011

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2009 Novy Simpson Vineyard Grenache

The Simpson Vineyard is at the very far northern end of Dry Creek Valley not far from Pedroncelli Winery. That makes it a warm, perfect spot for Grenache. One of the goals we have set for ourselves is to improve the wines we make from these warmer locations. To do this with the Simpson Vineyard required a bit of planning. Grenache needs hang-time to taste ripe, and thus we let the Grenache hang into early October, quite long for this warmer site.

We destemmed the Grenache entirely, fermenting it in three small bins. During a 5 day cold soak the wine was punched down 3 times a day, backing off to twice a day once fermentation started. Near the end of fermentation we stopped punching it down entirely. After 17 days on the skins we pressed it off, directly to barrel, where it underwent uninnoculated malolactic fermentation.

The 2009 Novy Simpson Vineyard Grenache is a serious, ageworthy wine. With rich, heady red fruit flavors up front and a creamy mid-palate the wine seems immediately accessible. However, the finish shows more structure and backbone, leading us to want to age this wine. When we drink it now, we do so with something hearty on the grill.