Stark-Condé Three Pines Syrah 2008

Deep and dark exotic spices on a concentrate frame of ripe, dark fruits.

In The Cellar
This is a single-vineyard wine from our highest elevation Syrah vineyard, a small block contiguous to our single-vineyard Cabernet. After being cooled overnight to 12° C, they were carefully hand-sorted and crushed into small open fermentation vats and allowed to cold-soak for several days. A small portion was left whole bunch and also uncrushed. About 50% of the blend was natural fermentation and the balance was split between a domestic yeast and an imported Rhône yeast. Regular, vigorous punch-downs were given every 4 hours for the first half of fermentation, then every 6 - 8 hours thereafter. At dryness (average 8 - 9 days), the wine was basket pressed and racked directly to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation and subsequent barrel maturation. A mix of coopers was used, all French oak, all 300 litre, mostly second-fill and about 40% new. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered after 22 months barrel maturation.