Winemaker Notes
19% Syrah & 11 % Grenache). We blend it with current drinkability in mind, for drinking both at home
and as a restaurant pour. We generally put it together from our younger vines and our more forward
tasting barrel lots. 2003 was a year where most of our Rhône varietal lots excelled. Therefore this wine
drinks like better than most Côtes-du-Rhône Villages bottlings: sappy, spicy, fabulous flavor, and great
texture. It is an eminently enjoyable everyday bottle. The 2003 has a deep boysenberry fruit suggestions,
smoky/meaty/gamey complex flavor components that emphasize our terroir, and a lengthy creamy
texture. Aged for 14 months in François Frères barrels. This is a great California wine value !
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Originally a source of oenological sustenance for gold-seeking miners of the mid-1800s, the Sierra Foothills was the first region in California to produce wines from European grape varieties. Located between Sacramento and the Nevada border, this area’s immigrant settlers chose to forgo growing the then-ubiquitous Mission grape and instead brought with them superior vines from the Old World to plant alongside mining camps.
Zinfandel has been the most important variety of this region since its inception, taking on a spicy character with brambly fruit and firm structure. Amador and El Dorado counties, benefiting from the presence of volcanic and granite soils, are home to the best examples. Bold, robust Rhône Blends and Barbera are also important regional specialties.