SOUTHERN / AMERICAN / PACIFIC WINE & SPIRITS® Primal Roots Red Blend 2011 (California) – 6045269655711

Notes from the Winemaker (2010 vintage):

The Blend:
The true essence of Primal Roots begins with the raw qualities of Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel that are artfully blended to create a smooth, full-bodied, sensual wine.

The Merlot provides aromas of raspberry, red currants, and mocha along with fine-grained tannins that create a soft, luxurious texture. Merlot is the varietal that keeps this wine grounded.

Syrah lends a deep purple color, silky texture, and balanced structure to the wine. Aromas of violets, black currants and a gentle earthiness are accentuated by flavors of dried cherry, dark chocolate, and vanilla spice.

Zinfandel is concentrated and rich, yet soft on the palate and loaded with black cherry, clove, and wild blackberry. Known for its spicy characters, the Zinfandel rounds out the wine by adding a touch of warm spice.

2010 Vintage:
In 2010, 90% of the fruit came from the North Valley, which had an incredibly mild growing season, giving the fruit ample time to develop deep, concentrated color, flavor, and aroma. No one expected this to be one of the greatest vintages in recent memory, but as the fruit came off of the vine, it became evident that this was a very special year in terms of quality.

Winemaking (2010 vintage):
The fruit is harvested at optimal ripeness when the color, flavors, acids, and tannins are all in balance. The fruit is crushed, destemmed, and cold-soaked for three days to allow juice/skin contact before fermentation. This process yields a deep color, rich texture, and more concentrated fruit flavors in the final wine. As fermentation begins, the temperature is kept at 85–90°F and is pressed when the tannins are soft, supple, and well-integrated. After pressing, the wines are racked several times and go through complete malolactic fermentation.

Oak aging helps build the structure while introducing the underlying vanilla, cream, and mocha characteristics. The final step is blending each of these uniquely different wines in such a way that captures their wild, sweet, and intense flavors with a balanced and rich texture that makes you want to explore its many layers.

Tasting Notes (2010 vintage):
The 2010 Red Blend has aromas of mocha, vanilla, and spice that give way to a silky texture along with rich flavors of raspberries and chocolate that are truly uninhibited.