Peirano Estate Vineyards 2007 Tempranillo

The Heritage Collection

Estate Grown, Lodi

Vineyard Notes:

The 2007 vintage was very successful for us, with a long cool spring and milder summer temperatures.  The pay-off of this excellent harvest is to be experienced in this delicious wine from Peirano Estate Vineyards.  This was our 1^st harvest of Tempranillo and the vineyard site for this varietal has been specially tended to over the past five years and has benefited from the use of techniques like deficit irrigation, crop thinning and leaf pulling to insure full and proper ripening.  The Lodi appellation is an ideal growing area for Tempranillo and presents a climate much more in tune with that of Tempranillos’ native Spain then other areas of California.  The fruit for this wine was hand harvested into small bins to maintain health and quality.

Winemaker Notes:

Once we have received the fruit at the winery the grapes are inoculated with yeast that helps retain the fruits’ natural character while extracting a good amount of tannin during an even fermentation.  The 2007 Tempranillo was a much smaller lot of grapes compared to our core wine production, so the fruit is handled more gently and a lot of attention is paid to the wine as it develops.  For our red wine we use a combination of rotary fermentation as well as static fermentation (tank fermentation), because we can get different characteristics from each.  The rotary fermentation is typically short and monitored closely so that the wine never gets bitter or over extracted.  After completion of malolactic fermentation the wine is racked and then aged 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

The color of this wine is a vibrant deep garnet.  The aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis and hints of coffee are complimented with balanced oak and leather notes.  The flavors are forward with black fruit and ample acidity and soft tannins.  The wine is ready to drink, but will continue to age over the next 5 to 8 years. 

Awards:

DOUBLE  GOLD Medal      San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competiton

DISTINGUISHED GOLD   Lodi International Wine Awards

Silver Medal                            Florida State Fair Int’l Wine Competition

Silver Medal                            Jerry Mead International Wine Competition

Silver Medal                            National Women’s Wine Competition           

Silver Medal                            Orange County Fair Wine Competition