2017 Buchignani Carignane

Nose of black cherry and plum with floral notes. Medium weight on the palate, firm acidity and blackberry fruit. Finishes with a hint of chocolate and olive. JO (2/19)

After years of drought, heavy winter rains returned to northern California. Reinvigorated by moisture in the soil and a warm growing season, these old carignane vines set a full crop. Record-breaking temperatures during the last week of August brought the grapes to full ripeness. Fairly robust in style, the wine still maintains its balance with the brisk acidity that makes this varietal so versatile. Enjoyable upon release it will be at its best over the next four to five years.

Stan Buchignani’s ranch is located on Dutcher Creek Road, in the hills on the far western edge of the Alexander Valley appellation. Stan’s grandfather, Dominico Cerruti, first planted a five acre block in 1927. His father, Dino, added seven acres in the 1940s and planted the last in the early 1950s. The vineyard’s climate bears a strong resemblance to that of upper Dry Creek Valley three miles to the south, where days are quite warm. Fog, which tends to hang low in the valley, burns off sooner in the hills. Carignane from the Buchignani Ranch is complex, its fine structure much like that of a field-blend zinfandel.

Rainfall: 61.5 inches (above average)
Bloom: May
Weather: Cool weather in April affected set. Several heat spikes in late June, July, and August saw temperatures over 105 degrees.

Harvest Dates: 29 August – 2 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.2˚
Fermentation: Natural primary and secondary. Twice daily pump-overs. Pressed at six days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried american oak barrels (15% one year old, 10% two years old, 10% three years old, 40% four years old and 25% five years old.)
Aging: Ten months in barrel

Buchignani ranch, hand-harvested, sustainably grown grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 83 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: 89.3

No. of Tasting Notes: 39

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