Summary

Destemmed grapes that have been heavily sorted, are loaded into open top neutral vessels. After a brief period of cold soaking to extract additional color, a warm fermentation will begin using cultured or ambient yeast. A significant (up to 25 day) post-fermentation maceration on the skins is common to extract additional flavor, tannin, and color. After pressing and racking into barrel (a portion new), malolactic conversion occurs in barrel during a maturation before any fining, filtering, and bottling.

Key Varietals

• Malbec
• Tannat

Structurally Similar

• Bandol
  (Outstanding)
• Mendoza Malbec
  (Outstanding)
• Côte Rôtie or Hermitage or Cornas
  (Outstanding)
• Ribera del Duero
  (Very Good to Outstanding)
• Madiran
  (Very Good to Outstanding)