Wines From Sanctuary
<< View all Zinfandels from this Winery
| Wine Name: |
Sanctuary Mariah Vineyard Zinfandel |
| Vintage: |
2005 |
| Appellation: |
Mendocino Ridge (AVA) |
| Sub-Appellation: |
N/A
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| Vineyard: |
Mariah Vineyard
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| Suggested Retail Price: |
$
25
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| Alcohol Content: |
13.83% |
| Cases Produced: |
935
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| Winemaker: |
Dennis Martin
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| Winemaker Tasting Notes: |
Mariah Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge, Mendocino County
The Mariah Vineyard at 2600 feet in the Mendocino Ridge appellation is unique in all the world. On the rugged North Coast, there is no vineyard that reaches to the sky higher than this. Scattered across mountaintops, just above the fog line, the extraordinary vineyards known as Islands In The Sky™ are warmed each day before cooling maritime breezes are drawn westward to rest the grapes each night. The sparse soils and daily dance of temperature swings bring intensity and rich, complex flavors to the concentrated berries. Each season meanders quietly on the ridgetop, the struggle unseen, until Harvest brings fruit down from the mountain, to craft an exquisite wine that now will be featured in our Sanctuary vineyard series wines, celebrating special winegrowing locations throughout California.
Winemaking & Seasonal Influences
The mountain-top location of the Mariah Vineyard means this is extreme winegrowing, on the edge in every growing season. The meticulous farming practices of our grower partners Dan & Vicki Dooling have evolved to the point that miracles are routine and just an expected result when harvest rolls around each Fall. In 2005, optimal maturity and full physiological ripeness was achieved at October 17, and harvest began with the fruit at a comfortable 24.4◦ Brix.
Fruit from the vineyards is hand-picked and crushed into small open-top fermenters, with some whole berries remaining for enhanced fruitiness in the wine. After a short cold maceration to extract deep, rich flavors and colors we ferment some lots with Assmanshausen and others with Prise de mousse yeast and punch down the cap three to four times daily through a long, slow fermentation. Secondary fermentation is staged in tank and barrel to help tame the intense mountain fruit.
Aging is completed with 15% of the wine in new French Oak, with the balance in once used French and American Oak barrels. After gaining complexity in barrel for 18 months, a touch of Petite Sirah enhances the blend just prior to bottling. The wine is not fined and receives a light filtration.
The Wine
Appealing aromas of raspberry, white pepper, black licorice and allspice combine with sage and an exotic aroma of mandarin orange in this highly focused Zinfandel. Full bodied yet elegant and not overpowering flavors of blackberry, black licorice and black pepper combine with toasty oak notes of fresh vanilla and roasted chestnuts. Tannins are meaningful, yet mild, with a long, lingering finish and the expected touch of dark chocolate identifiable with the
Mariah Vineyard over many vintages.
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| Release Date: |
01/2009
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| Sold Out: |
no
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ZAP Member Since: 1998
Winery Location Region: Mendocino
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