2021 Le Blend
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;)
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Blend - red
Appellation
Willcox
Acid
TA: 5.6 g/L
pH
3.8
Aging
Aged 5 months in 100% neutral oak barrels. Aged another 6 months in 29% new French (Ermitage, Billon & Alain Fouquet Cooperages), 6% new Eastern European (European Coopers) and 65% neutral oak barrels. Twice racked. Filtered, but unfined.
Alcohol %
13.7
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Le Blend began in 2014 as a one-off, kitchen-sink blend of components that remained after assembling our other wines. There was some thought that went into it. We were aiming to balance our lighter, fruitier, leftover Italian varietals with the darker characters of varietals like Syrah, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah to make a soft, easy-drinking wine with a broad range of fruit characters. Because of the surprising popularity of that first vintage, we added Le Blend to our regular portfolio and started sourcing fruit more specifically for it. The composition still changes every year, but Le Blend has a definite theme and identity now. It has also quite accidentally become one of our best sellers! 17 barrels produced.
Vineyard Notes
Willcox AVA – Arizona - 17% Sangiovese from Carlson Creek. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elev. Harvested Sept. 16th - 17% Sangiovese from Cimarron. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 5th - 13% Cabernet Franc from Sierra Bonita. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elev. Harvested Oct. 5th - 10% Mourvedre from Sierra Bonita. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elev. Harvested Oct. 5th/9th - 9% Petite Sirah from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elev. Harvested Oct. 9th - 5% Graciano from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 3rd - 5% Graciano from Dos Amigos. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 29th - 4% Aglianico from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 18th - 4% Grenache from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 27th - 3% Tannat from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elevation. Harvested Oct. 9th - 3% Tannat from Rhumb Line Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 10th - 3% Grenache from Flying Leap Vineyards. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elev. Harvested Sept. 12th - 3% Montepulciano from Cimarron. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elev. Harvested Sept. 18th - 2% Tempranillo from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elev. Harvested Aug. 25th - 2% Tempranillo from Dos Amigos Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elev. Harvested Sept. 5th - Sugar at harvest: 24.0 Brix average
Production Notes
Destemmed but not crushed to open-top, ¾- and 1.5-ton bins. Lots were left an average of ~15% whole-cluster. Inoculated with specially selected yeasts (BRL97, BM45, VRB, Clos, T73, Rhone2056, Persy, CVRP, Tango, D80, UV43 7 V1116). Hand-punched 3-4 times daily. Inoculated with Malolactic bacteria (Omega) around 3 Brix average.
Pressed at dryness after 10 days average skin contact. Settled 2 days average before
barreling.
Production
420 cases
Other Notes
Drink now or cellar 5+ years
