Aromas of Montmorency and Bing cherry belie a silky entry. The mid-palate showcases a dynamic tension between fruit, acidity, and tannins, indicating an age-worthy wine. The finish is characterized by an Olympian-esque balance, introducing earthy notes that hint at the future potential of this wine.
Pair with mushroom and sausage risotto, duck confit, and chicken cacciatore for an exceptional food and wine pairing.
Rattlesnake Hill overlooks the Home Ranch and the greater Alexander Valley. As the name
suggests, this vineyard is on a rather rugged hill, giving this parcel great drainage. With only
8-16 inches of topsoil and clay soils with varying underlying layers of basalt, sandstone, and
serpentine rock, vines have a difficult time surviving.
The grapes were harvested pre-dawn to ensure fresh cool grapes were delivered to the winery. They were sorted by hand to remove any over exposed clusters or berries and transferred directly into open top fermenters without the use of pumps. The must was fermented spontaneously promoting the yeast present on the grapes and nurtured slowly through the early fermentation stages to maximize color and protect the delicate Sangiovese aromatics.
After 10-12 days on skins the wine was drained and allowed to settle briefly before the newly filled 500L puncheons were tucked away into cellar. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in puncheon and the blend was assembled after 8 months, once assembled concrete tanks were used to finish, unfined and minimal filtration. The wine aged 16 months in 11% new French oak puncheons (500L), 14% concrete tanks, and 75% seasoned French oak puncheons.