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Dry Creek Valley
VERGE Wine Cellars is dedicated to producing expressive Syrah from unique parcels and vineyards throughout the North Coast. Our inaugural release is from a spot close to home. Almost 800 feet higher than the valley floor, our block on Bradford Mountain rests about 485 steps from VERGE Winemaker Mike Brunson's front door. This wine comes from a small block of Syrah along the eastern slope of one of the coolest spots in Dry Creek Valley.
Vineyard
This little plot of goodness lies at the top of Bradford Mountain and was planted in 1998. This tiny two-acre block of organically farmed Syrah is situated next to a strand of madrone, manzanita and oak trees. It follows a slope that leads to the headwaters of Wine Creek, a smaller tributary of Dry Creek.
Red volcanic soil, called boomer soil, dominates Bradford Mountain. This soil type and the steep slope help increase vine stress and force them to reach deeper into the soil for moisture and mineral nutrients. That equals plenty of goodness in the wine.
Only 14 miles from the ocean, this block is cooled each evening by the rolling fog. Because of the higher elevation, the sun's intensity magnifies the vines' natural tannins and anthocyanins. Organic farming is also key in ensuring that this block of Syrah provides fruit with great aromatic depth, rich color and classic mountain tannins.
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Vintage
2006 was a brilliant year for Syrah, and we're psyched to see how this baby ages. Early spring rains raised some concern but allowed us to drop fruit during verasion, which only helped us in the end. July was quite hot this year, but the heat caused vines to shut down which extended harvest out to mid-September. We patiently waited for flavors to develop as the tannins ripened and the sugars slowly increased. We also did some thinning again to help control vigor and to increase intensity of the remaining berries. For this block, harvest lasted a glorious two hours, and we got the fruit in just in time to enjoy savory carne asada.
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Wine
Layer upon layer of rich dark plum, blackberry and blueberry accented with dried flowers and light wood smoke. The initial aromatic notes transition into licorice, spice and rose candy and the first sip reveals just what stressed vines can offer. After a wave of intense black fruit, spice and acidity, the wine softens forming a core of chocolate, blackberry and plum. This quaffable wine finishes with notes of cocoa dusted blueberries and hints of lavender and really showcases the “fringeness” of this block. There are plenty of ripe tannins that frame the core of this wine but the concentration and focus of the fruit and spice persist like a single note on a well-made guitar. Decant this wine for up to an hour for further enjoyment.
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Harvest Dates
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September 22, 2006
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Vineyard
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Little Plot of Goodness
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Appellation
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Dry Creek Valley
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Block
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USY
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Barrel Aging
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14 months
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Barrel Type
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20% new French Oak, 80% 1-2 year old French Oak
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Blend
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100% Syrah
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pH
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3.7
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Alcohol
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14.7%
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Release Date
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March 2008
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Cases
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378
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