The 2009 Cinder Cone Reserve is our second vintage of the unique house blend. The wine received its name in recognition of the cinder cone volcano vent located a quarter mile from the winery along Point Lakeview Rd.
This wine is a unique symphony of 50% estate Syrah, 20% estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec from Red Hills Ranch, and 12% estate Grenache.
The grapes were crushed, concentrated by bleeding 8% of the volume, and then cold-soaked for three days prior to fermentation in bins holding approximately 1.5 tons each. The bins were punched down and aeratively pumped over for a period between 10 and 30 days providing a gentle quality extraction of color, flavor, and texture. After pressing, the wine was aged in a combination of new and used French oak barrels for a period of 20 months.
The wine’s aromas are of blackberry and plum, with highlights of smoked meats and black pepper. The big concentrated flavors are of plum, currants and toasted oak. This structured wine calls for full throttle fare such as grilled meats, game, or smoked cheese.
Cost: $25.00
SOLD OUTAwards
Gold - Orange County Fair Wine Competition - June 2013Silver - California State Fair Wine Competition - June 2013
Wine Information
The Cinder Cone Reserve is a unique assemblage of Rhone and Bordeaux varieties.
The Syrah, Cabernet and Grenache are from our estate Crimson Hill Vineyard. The Malbec was selected from a nearby Red Hills vineyard, and we believe this component makes the flavors of this blend so uniquely deep and complex. Because of our elevation (about 2,000 feet), climate and soils, Malbec does very well in our area. (The Petite Sirah in the 2010 vintage also comes from a Red Hills vineyard.)
The grapes were all individually hand-harvested at their optimum ripeness, gently de-stemmed and fermented in small lots. The resulting wines were then pressed in our basket press and aged in combinations of French and American oak barrels for 18 months.
The name “Cinder Cone” and our burnt label design were selected to represent our unique area where recent and numerous volcanoes formed our unique terroir. The results are clearly visible in the formation of a cinder cone that adjoins our vineyard property that is a quarry for volcanic rock and cinder remnants from nearby Mt. Konocti.