1998 California Syrah

CLINE CELLARS

TECHNICAL NOTES
1998 California Syrah

HARVEST DATE: Ocotober 23rd-30th
MEAN BRIX: 23.3
TOTAL ACIDITY: 0.66/100ml
FINAL pH: 3.59
RESIDUAL SUGAR: .0155g/100ml
ALCOHOL: 13.1%
SUGGESTED RETAIL: $10.00

California Syrah back label

VINTAGE NOTES

1998 will be remembered as the vintage where "patience is a virtue" was our motto. Compared to the large and early harvest of the previous year, 1998 would be considered a light and late harvest, our first vineyard ripened on September 4th. . Infact, the 1998 harvest was two to three weeks later then normal and four to four-and-half weeks later then 1997! With an unusually cool spring, the growing season started with essentially very lousy weather. This translated to poor crop set and a generally low crop size, with the result of lower than average yields. Fortunately a late summer, early fall heat spell ripened our grapes to full maturity.

VINEYARDS

With Syrah being planted in California only very recently, the grapes from this wine have come from generally very young vines with a range of age from four to ten years old. With vigorous selections in the vineyard, our growers in Lodi, Contra Costa and Sonoma County have produced fruit with exceptional concentration of varietal flavor with deep colors.

FERMENTATION AND AGING

Like our Zinfandels, the techniques we use on our "Cal Syrah" start out by entirely destemming and only lightly crushing the grapes to preserve fruit and limit harsh tannins. Then a cool to moderate fermentation temperature is maintained in closed stainless steel tanks with selected cultured yeasts. Oak is a mix of new and used American and French barrels, and large French upright tanks. Blended with small quantities of mourvèdre, carignane, grenache and cinsault for increased fruit expression and elegance of structure.

Comments to Cline Cellars and Winemaker
Comments to Tina Hoogs, Sales & Marketing Manager