Acquarello: In Depth
June 11, 2016
Acuarello Vineyard, June 11, 2016
Acquarello, meaning watercolor in Italian, is the name for our vineyard located a couple of miles north of the winery, on the bank of the Estrella river. Its name is a reference to the waters that created the rugged and sloping terrain. The property is currently planted with 33 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Sangiovese. Comprised mostly of sand and silt, the terroir speaks to its past as part of the ancient riverbed. Being positioned so close to the riverbed makes growing grapes on the property very difficult because of the extreme temperatures and varying degrees of ripeness, all of which leads to concentrated and expressive wines.For most of the year, the vines are treated to milder temperatures brought by the cold air rolling through and settling in the lowest spots of the valley. For this very reason, the vines must be monitored with great care in the spring because of the nightly risk of frost damage. As the year progresses into the summer months, the intense sunlight and extreme temperatures (reaching well over 100 degrees) quickly warm the vines up to maturity before they are harvested in the early autumn.
The first wine we released out of this vineyard was our 2012 Le Vigne Di Acquarello Cabernet Sauvignon. This exemplary vintage exhibits layered aromas of cassis, cedar, and bing cherry. The palate is elegant with nuances of cranberry, cherry cola, tobacco, and velvety tannins.
Shortly after, we released our 2013 Le Vigne Di Acquarello Petit Verdot. This wine, bottled specifically for the wine club is special because of its approachability. Wines produced from the Petit Verdot grape are usually utilized for blending either to enhance varietal expression or to develop depth and complexity in wines. Varietal bottlings tend to be tannic and difficult to enjoy, and while it is a very robust wine, the vineyard source produced a very approachable wine with tannins that are softer than what is normally expected from the variety. The result is a wine that shows true varietal characteristics, complexity, and great depth.
Stay tuned for more exciting releases of wines from this vineyard!