2020 Le Blend
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;)
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Blend - red
Appellation
Willcox
Harvest Date
August and September
Acid
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH
3.84
Aging
Aged 5 months in 12% 2-year-old French and 88% neutral oak barrels. Aged another 6 months in 6% new French, 6% 1-year-old French, 18% 2-year-old French and 70% 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 LeBlend to our regular portfolio and started sourcing fruit more specifically for it. The composition still changes every year, but LeBlend has a definite theme and identity now. It has also quite accidentally become one of our best sellers! 16 barrels produced.
Vineyard Notes
Willcox AVA – Arizona - 18% Sangiovese from Carlson Creek Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 21st - 12% Sangiovese from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 14th - 6% Sangiovese from Edge of the Vine Vineyard. Yavapai County, AZ. 3,500 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 13th - 21% Petite Sirah from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 17th - 9% Tannat from Rhumb Line Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 2nd - 6% Tannat from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 3rd - 7% Cabernet Franc from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 3rd - 6% Montepulciano from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 27th - 5% Grenache from Carlson Creek Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 2nd - 4% Tempranillo from Dos Amigos Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 18th - 3% Syrah from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 9th - 2% Picpoul Blanc from Sierra Bonita Vineyard. Graham County, AZ. 4,400 ft. elevation. Harvested Sept. 3rd - 1% Tempranillo from Cimarron Vineyard. Cochise County, AZ. 4,300 ft. elevation. Harvested Aug. 9th - Sugar at harvest: 24.2 Brix average
Production Notes
Destemmed but not crushed to open-top, 3⁄4- ton bins. Lots were left an
average of ~15% whole-cluster. Inoculated with specially selected yeasts
(D254, BRL97, BM45, VRB, Clos, T73, MT, BDX & Ionys WF). Hand-punched 3-4 times daily. Inoculated with Malolactic bacteria (Omega) around 3 Brix. Pressed at dryness after 11 days average skin contact. Settled 3 days average before barreling.
Production
397 cases
Other Notes
Drink now or cellar 4+ years