Whetstone Wine Cellars Phoenix Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2013
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The center piece of our property is a 19th Century, French-style Chateau built by Hamden W. McIntyre, an expert in gravity-flow winery design. McIntyre designed several local gravity-flow wineries, including: Eschol (now Trefethen), the Seneca Ewer (Beaulieu), Greystone and Inglenook (Rubicon). In 1885 construction was complete of the “Hedgeside” winery and co-located distillery operations and caves. Many phases of the building have come and gone since 1885. From family deaths, the business changing hands, 14 years of Prohibition, but the beauty of the estate has always remained. Whether enjoying some of our Sonoma Coast or Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, Carneros Chardonnay, cult favorite Russian River Valley Viognier, or Napa Valley Syrah we relish the opportunity to indulge your wine country experience.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.