Plumpjack Winery - Syrah 2018
Price: $80.25
| Producer | Plumpjack Winery |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Napa Valley |
| Varietal | Syrah |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Sku | 05685 |
Plumpjack Winery Description
2018 PlumpJack Syrah, Napa Valley
The strategy for the 2018 vintage was patience. The spring was cooler than the last several years. The vines woke up a little later, grew more slowly, bloomed later, and veraison was later. Cooler than normal temperatures persisted throughout the summer and into fall. And the grapes ripened very, very, very slowly. Weeks would pass with little progress. Flavors were slow to develop and the grapes remained firm and the skins thick. Rains threatened the vintage with about 1.5 inches falling on October 1st. More rains were forecast to follow, but they did not develop. Fortunately, the weather warmed in October and we were able to let the grapes hang until they reached maturity. Our last grapes came through the cellar door on November 6th,which was the latest close to the harvest in our history.
fermentation & aging
Sixty-three percent of our Syrah grapes were destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. These grapes were cold-soaked for 4 days, then fermented at a maximum temperature of 92F, and were pressed off the skins after 8-10 days. The remaining 37% was wholecluster fermented in open-top tanks and barrels. These grapes were fermented at a maximum temperature of 87F, and the wine was pressed off the skins after 7 – 8 days.
After pressing, the wine was transferred to French Oak Burgundy barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine was kept on heavy lees for several months and was stirred twice a month during this time. The coopers used in this wine include Francois Freres, Meyrieux, and Sirugue, of which, 78% were new barrels. The wine was aged in these barrels for 16 months prior to bottling.
winemaker impressions
Our 2018 Syrah was grown in the cooler Carneros region of the Napa Valley. This cooler climate lends this wine its defining characteristics. The nose is packed with spices and white pepper, plum, blackberry, blueberry, and red cherry, and underneath, there is a suggestion of grilled meats. The flavors on the pallet are plum, berries, spices, and peppercorn with blueberries and cocoa lingering on the finish. The palate is full and rounded with firm tannin and a beautiful acid providing the backbone and length.
100% Syrah
alcohol 15.0%
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
Made from 100% Syrah, the 2018 Syrah sports a deep garnet-purple color, sailing out of the glass with scents of dark chocolate, licorice, tar and candied violets over a core of stewed plums and baked blackberries plus a waft of fruitcake. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-filling, crunchy black fruit flavors with loads of pepper and spice sparks and approachable, rounded tannins, finishing long with a compelling burst of freshness.
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