2012 Carmichael Zinfandel

Deep garnet. Drried fig, exotic oak spice, baked-clay mineral. Opulent, medium-full body; ripe stone fruits; mulling spices; moderate acid; long, warm finish.

The growing season began a month early, so we pruned long, to make up for any loss if a late frost were to hit the vineyard. Fortunately, there was no frost, and the vines set a heavy crop. Thinning became essential, and balanced the vines for even ripening. On October 17, we harvested and crushed the zinfandel and petite sirah together; after fermentation, they were racked to barrel for twelve months’ aging. Approachable now, this appealing wine will maintain its fruit over the next six to seven years. EB (9/13)

Originally a part of the Rancho Sotoyomi Spanish land grant, these one hundred acres were purchased in the mid-1800s by Archibald Carmichael. Ridge began farming the upper half of the ranch in 2000. The soils differ considerably between the upper and lower blocks. The Carmichael comes principally from the west side of the abandoned right of way of the old Northwestern Pacific railroad where soils transition from gravel to clay. This is our eighth release from the ranch.

Rainfall: 24 inches (below average)

Bloom: Mid-May

Weather: Warm spring and a long, mild summer that fully ripened the grapes.

Harvest Date: 17 October

Grapes: Average Brix 25.0˚

Fermentation: Seven day fermentation in small fermentors; pressed early: natural secondary fermentation finished by the first week of November.

Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak: (26% new, 2% two years old and 72% four to five years old).

Aging: Fifteen months in barrel

All Estate grown grapes, hand harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; 1.25 g/L tartaric acid added; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush,101 ppm over the course of aging), pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Average Rating: 90.1

No. of Tasting Notes: 44

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