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2018 Tannat
End of Vintage- 90 Points Wine Enthusiast

2018 Tannat
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Tannat
Appellation
Monterey
Vineyard
Hames Valley
Harvest Date
October 5, 2018
pH
3.54
Aging
55% American oak, 27% French oak, 18% Hungarian oak, 20 months
Bottling Date
July 9, 2020
Alcohol %
14.6
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In Stock
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$36.00
 
SKU: 18SVITA7EMONH22
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To Tannat or not to Tannat, that is the question. Unlike Hamlet’s query, the answer to our query is easy. Definitely Tannat. Native to France but adopted as the national grape of Uruguay, very little Tannat is planted in the U.S. And that’s a shame because the Tannat grape produces a super delicious, full-bodied yet approachable wine with all of the firm structure and complexity you’d expect in a classic red with a special verve all its own. Robust aromas of plum, blackberry and elderberry and hints of vanilla, coffee and violet lead into a palate of intense black fruit. The finish is long and satisfying with savory spice and oak notes. We only grow about one acre of this esoteric varietal, hence our very small bottling of 208 cases. Get it while you can because if it’s half as popular as it is at our family gatherings, it’s going to go fast!

Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Tannat
Appellation
Monterey
Vineyard
Hames Valley
Harvest Date
October 5, 2018
pH
3.54
Aging
55% American oak, 27% French oak, 18% Hungarian oak, 20 months
Bottling Date
July 9, 2020
Alcohol %
14.6
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Wine Profile
Vineyard
The fruit for our 2018 Tannat was grown on our sustainably certified Hames Valley Vineyard in the Hames Valley AVA. Located at the southern end of the Salinas Valley, this lesser-known appellation is flanked by the Santa Lucia Range to the west and the rugged Gabilans to the east. Sheltered from the afternoon winds, Hames Valley possesses some of the largest diurnal temperature swings in Monterey County, with a 50° day-to-night fluctuation quite common. The combination of warm days, crisp nights and an incredibly long growing season make this an ideal locale for big, tannic reds.
Varietal Composition
100% Tannat
Winemaking
The grapes were handpicked into half-ton bins, destemmed and crushed into small fermentation bins. During fermentation, we gently punched down the cap three times per day and held the juice on the skins for two weeks before pressing. At dryness the must was drained and then pressed to stainless steel tanks. After settling the heavy solids, the juice was racked clean to small oak barrels for secondary fermentation and aged for 20 months before bottling unfiltered to preserve the structure and tannins.
Cases Produced
208