2018 Willy
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Blend - red
Appellation
Willcox
Acid
TA: 5.5 g/L
pH
3.74
Aging
Aged 5 months in 10% 2-year-old French, 20% 4-year- old French and Hungarian and 70% neutral oak barrels. Aged another 6 months in 20% new French, 10% 2-year-old French and 70% neutral oak barrels. Twice racked. Filtered, but unfined.
Alcohol %
13.9
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Willy is one of the first blends we ever dreamed up at Chateau Tumbleweed (way back in 2012!) and it has always been one of our favorites. Around that time, we started looking at Grenache as the “Pinot Noir” of Arizona. Both grapes are lighter bodied, lower in tannin, have a velvety texture and they both have pure red fruit with a touch of spice. Grenache can just handle the AZ heat and monsoon rains a little better. This blend is an homage to the Pinot Noirs of Oregon and is an extraordinary canvas to exhibit the elegance, beauty and restraint of AZ wines. It’s also a great example of our approach to blending. By harmonizing the elegant red fruit, spice and silky femininity of AZ Grenache with the more powerful characters of Syrah and Tempranillo we think we came up with something that isn’t cooler than Oregon Pinot, but maybe as cool? Only 10 barrels produced.
Vineyard Notes
Willcox AVA – Cochise County, AZ - 31% Grenache from Pillsbury Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 7th - 29% Grenache from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 1st - 12% Syrah from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 6th - 8% Syrah from Carlson Creek Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 13th - 20% Tempranillo from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 6th - Sugar at harvest: 24.4 Brix average
Production Notes
Destemmed but not crushed to open-top, 3⁄4-ton bins. All lots were left ~10-25% whole-cluster.
Cold-soaked 24 hours, then inoculated with specially selected yeasts (D80, Rhone2056, D254, VRB, CLOS, T73 & UV43). Hand punched 3-4 times daily.
Inoculated with Malolactic bacteria (Omega) around 7 Brix.
Pressed at dryness after 9 days average skin contact.
Settled 2 days average before barreling.
Production
240 cases
Other Notes
Drink now or cellar up to 5+ years