A dense red fruit nose of boysenberry, cranberry, new leather, and oak. The mouth is lush with pronounced textures and flavors of plum spice and dark chocolate, offering a lasting oaky finish.
Vineyard Notes
Adjacent to an ancient volcanic cinder cone and nestled into the remote eastern edge of High Valley our Volcano Ridge vineyard features steep slopes and strikingly red volcanic soils. The vineyard totals 85 acres and is planted with a sizable number of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Zinfandel. The vineyard elevation ranges from 1900 ft. to 2200 ft. The volcanic sands and tephra (small, fused sand pebbles) of the Konocti series make for excellent drainage. Vines struggle in these soils, and the intensity of that struggle is reflected in the layers of complexity and structure,
in the concentrated fruit, and in the final expression of Volcano Ridge wines.
Production Notes
Mourvèdre is typically one of the main components in our Eruption blend, but in 2016, we believed that it should also be set aside as an individual wine. Our Volcano Ridge Mourvèdre was processed gently to create a whole berry fermentation. After a 3-5 day cold soak, the grapes underwent primary fermentation, then extended maceration on the must. This process
gently extracted more color and flavor for the wine. The wine was then sent to 50% new French oak and 50% neutral French oak barrels. After 18 months in barrel, this Mourvèdre was lightly fined and bottled without filtration.