2022 Henry's Blend, Red Wine

Vineyard: Traversing the edge Mayacamas Mountains to the north and the banks of the Russian River to the south lies our Geyserville Ranch. With 80 acres under vine this site is surrounded by vineyards that have been farmed by multigenerational grape growing families since the mid 1800’s, many of whom continue to produce some of the most sought-after fruit in the valley. Most of the soil is a mix of fine gravel from centuries of erosion combined with clay loam and silt deposits from the river. Days are filled with ample sun exposure but at night, the river funnels cool air from the ocean settling into the valley allowing the vines to recover and extend ripening to yield elegance and finesse. 

 

38°73'05.1"N 122°91'28.2"W

 

Vintage: The 2022 growing year looked like it was going to be year 4 or 5 of drought conditions with below average winter rains but some late spring rains came to the rescue and aided in canopy growth, which would become essential later in the summer. Late spring and early summer growing conditions were ideal although crop yields looked to be slightly lower than average. An early September heat spike with consecutive record-breaking temperature days resulted in a race to the finish.

 

Winemaking: Blending is truly the art in winemaking. Blending becomes the path in which the flavors and aromas combine to form expressions that by themselves would be impossible. Cabernet Sauvignon forms the base structure and Merlot contributes abundant fruit flavors and supple texture.  The other three varietals add depth and nuance. We fermented each variety separately in small, open top vessels. We used a unique irrigation device that circulated free-run juice over the cap during the peak of fermentation, gently allowing optimum flavor extraction. The blend consists of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. Each wine alone would stand proudly by itself, but in concert with the other varietals expresses much more depth and complexity.  

 

Oak: 100% French | Aging: 18 months