Like so many of our wines, for me, Heart Of Gold is always a work-in-progress. The upside of that approach has been that the wines seem to get better each year. If there’s a downside, it’s that I’m almost never satisfied. One important underlying assumption is that no two years are ever the same. I liked the ’13 so much I thought perhaps I’d never be able to bottle another that measured up. And, I also wondered what it might be like if it was a tiny bit lighter. As it turned out, I think both issues were addressed in the ’14 version.
VINEYARD SOURCE: Fenaughty Vineyard is on a ridge-top at 900 meters elevation, in the Apple Hill District in Placerville. The soil is Aiken Series clay-loam, which is a fairly cool soil with good moisture-retaining capacity. Vines receive very minimal irrigation
here. Vermentino and Grenache Blanc ripen here, in most years, around mid-September. In 2014, harvest was unusually early, yet with exceptional fruit maturity.
WINEMAKING NOTES: Picked September 1st, at an average Brix level of 19, and pH at 3.45. Whole-cluster-pressed, and fermented at 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Dry at the Equinox, when we blocked the malolactic. Racked in December, and bottled February 17th.
WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES: Pale color, with a slight green cast. Intensely fresh, pretty aromas. Wonderful acidity, very “Springy,” mouth-watering flavors. Long, clean, immensely pleasing finish, featuring a silky, fleshiness, in a wine that seems, otherwise, nearly weightless. Seatbelts highly recommended!
PRODUCTION: 300 cases
SUGGESTED RETAIL: $23.00
RELEASE DATE: March, 2015.
Steve Edmunds, Winemaker