Pierce, 2011 Graciano - Wine
Item Number: 172
Time Left: CLOSED
Value: $15
Online Close: Nov 14, 2014 11:59 PM PST
Bid History: 0 bids
Description
2011 Graciano
Perched in a highland valley at the southern tip of Monterey County, our vineyards, with their wide variation in diurnal temperature and rocky soils, provide an excellent setting for the classic grape varieties of Spain and Portugal. A standout among these is certainly Graciano, a native of Spain's famed Rioja region. Estate grown in the calcareous rock and shale-rich loam of our Home Ranch Vineyard, the 2012 vintage is a medium-bodied wine with dark, rounded fruit and a solid tannic structure. A limited-run bottling, it was fermented in small lots and aged in French oak for 18 months. Blackberry and black cherry combine with hints of shale and thyme.
Special Instructions
Our vineyards are located in a highland valley at the southernmost tip of Monterey County, just on the border between the small towns of Bradley and Lockwood. Perched in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range roughly 14 miles from the ocean and some 25 miles from Paso Robles, the Bradley-Lockwood area is a unique region with viticultural roots going back more than two centuries. First recognized as an ideal grape-growing region by the missionaries of Junipero Serra, the establishment in 1771 of the Mission of San Antonio de Padua also saw the planting of some of the first vineyards on the continent. These vineyards, planted in the eponymous Mission varietal and providing fruit as well as the necessary raw material for sacramental wine, remained in cultivation until the gradual decay of the mission system in the mid 1880s.
Terroir
At an elevation of 1000 feet, our vineyards are situated in the alluvial basin overlooking Lake San Antonio where they reap the benefits of the warm daytime temperatures. In this warmer climate, fruit is able to ripen consistently and reach full maturity with an ease rarely seen elsewhere in Monterey County.
Varietals
Our plantings are a somewhat eclectic mix of varietals selected not only for their ability to excel in our climate, but also for their complementary qualities.