2017 Delta Reds
History
Who would have thought that just a short distance from San Francisco one could find 100-year-old vines of Zinfandel, Carignane, Mouvedre, as well as newer plantings of more uncommon varietals such as Teraldego, Tannat, Barbera, and Petite Sirah? We didn’t. So, with a bit of exploration we were shocked to find such a wealth of grapes within just an hour or so of the Dashe Cellars winery. In the rich delta soils of the San Francisco Bay, where the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meander into the bay, we found a wealth of superb grapes waiting to be turned into a unique wine. We realized that the cool breezes and hot days of the area forged interesting red grapes—a “Delta Red” blend—that with careful blending, could make a luscious, delicious wine. The result, which we call simply “Delta Reds,” has outstripped our wildest hopes.
Production
We harvested each varietal separately, hand-sorted the fruit on the way to the destemmer, and then fermented using native “wild” yeasts on the surface of the grapes. Great care was used during fermentation to highlight fruit characteristics and decrease tannin extraction. At dryness, the wines were gently pressed in a membrane press and pumped to traditional 60-gallon oak barrels. Each varietal was kept separate, and we blended the wines carefully to develop a wine with great texture, intense fruit, and lovely balance between the firm acidity and the lovely sweet and spicy fruit.
Production: 1,500 cases
Tasting Notes
| Color: | Dark ruby red |
| Aromas: | Hugely aromatic, with a deep fruity backbone of black current, black raspberry, plum, and lighter highlights of cranberry and pomegranate. Spicy notes of black pepper, tar, and earth. |
| Taste: | A lush, velvety, attractive wine with beautiful fruit flavors and balance. Entry is of bright fruit flavors of black current and black cherry, pomegranate, tar. and peppery spice, rich minerality. Great acid balance, soft texture. Long, spicy, fruit-driven finish. |