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2008 was a cool vintage and marks the first harvest of our Estate Grenache. While we are certainly capable of inking up wines that are lighter in color (with the likes of Petite Sirah), we chose to leave this true expression of our valley unadultured. After the primary fermentation, I was struck by the incredibly focused wild strawberry fruit on the nose and palate of this wine. Beneath the strawberry lie hints of roses, orange rind and brambly spice all floating on an incredibly soft, velvety palate. Think of this wine like a sand painting - enjoy it now.

he 2008 vintage was pretty cool and wet, especially for our Estate Vineyard. While this didn't bode well for our Syrah, the Petite Sirah is, once again, a superstar. Every year, I'm amazed by what a delicate wine we get from these grapes. Less jammy and intense than a lot of the burly California Petites, it is more floral with delicate spice, myrrh and softer tannins. These inherent site characteristics are enhanced by our decision to pick these grapes earlier, avoiding excessive concentration and the monochromatic fruit profile of some later-pick Petites.

"Ano Fresco," or cool year, pays homage to our 2008 vintage. It rained almost non-stop for 6 weeks, thus cooling ripening conditions significantly. In the previous two years, our Estate Syrah was a fairly dark, tannic wine with a healthy amount of concentration. The cooler conditions gave birth to a wine that largely diverges from its predecessors. (We weren't sure about bottling this, but thought the imbiber would enjoy seeing how climate starkly affects a wine). Beautiful, silky and almost Pinot Noir-like, this Syrah melts in your mouth as cherry, orange pekoe tea and rose hips wash over your taste buds.

A fifty-fifty blend of our Estate Syrah and Petite Sirah, this wine has all the lush, soft characters of the Syrah accompanied by the floral and tannic personality of the Petite. The Syrah comes from clone 383, a classic Hermitage selection. Our Petite cuttings come from the renowned Shell Creek Vineyard in Shandon, California (just outside Paso Robles) and harkens from my David Bruce days. So, here the old and new world meet in a stunning, age-worthy expression of Arizona and specifically, Page Springs.

2006 marked the first pick off our Estate Vineyard with only a half-ton harvested and a scant one barrel produced. 2007 saw three tons of Syrah picked and thus seven barrels. The cooling effects of Monsoon rains in August prolonged our growing season leading to harvest at optimal ripeness in late September. This wine is incredibly complex with a core of mulberry and mandarin with a distinct smoky, resinous spice. The palate is juicy and broad with balanced acid and tannins. Delicious now, it should reward cellaring for a few years.