2007 Russian River Valley "Papera Ranch" Carignane
91% Carignane
9% Zinfandel
A late release! In 2007 we ended up using very little of the old-vine Carignane from Papera Ranch for blending. As delicious as the wine was, we simply found that other than adding a small amount to our 2007 Dry Creek Zinfandel for structure and acidity, it didn’t improve any of our other wines. But like our 2004 Sonoma County Alicante Bouschet, it was too good not to keep. Hence, we bottled it on its own. (Well… not exactly. We blended 8% Papera Ranch Zinfandel into it, just to pump up the volume a bit.) We almost released it last year but when we saw how little wine we were going to have for sale this year, we decided to hold off a year. Plus, with an extra year in bottle, we figured it would be even more enjoyable upon release. And, as an added bonus, we priced it stupidly low, making it a great bargain.
Tasting Note:
Neon dark ruby-red. Fantastic color for Carignane. On the nose, ripe red cherry dominates but there’s a hint of sous bois, dried caraway, and orange rind lurking in the background. As the wine enters, it coats the palate with creamy cherry fruit. Bright acidity from mid-palate to finish (This is Carignane after all!) keeps the mouth refreshed. Texturally, reminds me a bit of a great Chinon from a ripe year. Should be very versatile at the table, pairing well with anything from burgers to pastas to steaks. Enjoy from release through 2020. (MRO – 08/01/10)