Andrew and Issamu on this wine: “Free Your Soul returns for its second vintage exploring new directions in Petite Sirah. The grape is an undeniable fit in the state of California, though often relegated to a ripe, heavily-extracted style. We pick our Petite Sirah early, with high acidity and moderate sugar accumulation. We’ve brought some 2020 Cab Franc to the blend for texture and sophistication and finished the wine with a splash of Riesling for aromatic flair. The result is a Petite with verve and polish – a wine more redolent of fresh blackberries than jam, with hints of cacao, earl grey, and gravel.”
Grapes & vineyards: the current NV release (bottled in 2022) is
87% Petite Sirah (2021 vintage), Marsh Creek Vineyard (Contra Costa County AVA, sustainable)
9% Cabernet Franc (2020 vintage), Siletto Family Vineyard (San Benito County AVA, certified organic, gravel)
4% Riesling (2021 vintage), Zabala Vineyard (Arroyo Seco AVA, certified organic, alluvial soils with round river stones)
Making of: Petite Sirah was harvested 8/10/21 at 23.4 Brix and the fruit was destemmed and fermented with native yeast for two weeks in stainless steel. The wine was aged for 12 months in neutral French oak barriques. Cab Franc was harvested 9/30/20 at 22.0 Brix and the fruit was destemmed and fermented with native yeast for two weeks under a submerged cap. The wine was aged for 22 months in neutral French oak barriques. Riesling was harvested 9/22/21 at 20.7 Brix and the fruit was pressed direct to tank and fermented with native yeast for two weeks in stainless steel. The wine was aged for 11 months in neutral American oak barriques.
Personality: “A vibrant expression of Petite Sirah, with velvet Cab Franc and shimmering Riesling. More redolent of fresh blackberries than jam, with hints of cacao, earl grey, and gravel.”
Grapes & vineyards: the current NV release (bottled in 2022) is
87% Petite Sirah (2021 vintage), Marsh Creek Vineyard (Contra Costa County AVA, sustainable)
9% Cabernet Franc (2020 vintage), Siletto Family Vineyard (San Benito County AVA, certified organic, gravel)
4% Riesling (2021 vintage), Zabala Vineyard (Arroyo Seco AVA, certified organic, alluvial soils with round river stones)
Making of: Petite Sirah was harvested 8/10/21 at 23.4 Brix and the fruit was destemmed and fermented with native yeast for two weeks in stainless steel. The wine was aged for 12 months in neutral French oak barriques. Cab Franc was harvested 9/30/20 at 22.0 Brix and the fruit was destemmed and fermented with native yeast for two weeks under a submerged cap. The wine was aged for 22 months in neutral French oak barriques. Riesling was harvested 9/22/21 at 20.7 Brix and the fruit was pressed direct to tank and fermented with native yeast for two weeks in stainless steel. The wine was aged for 11 months in neutral American oak barriques.
Personality: “A vibrant expression of Petite Sirah, with velvet Cab Franc and shimmering Riesling. More redolent of fresh blackberries than jam, with hints of cacao, earl grey, and gravel.”
