Tech Notes
Wine Details
By Vie Winery
2016 L'Imaginaire (The Imaginary One) Grenache
Wine Description
Our "L'Imaginaire" Grenache exhibits finesse, subtle characteristics, and structure similar to an Old World Chateauneuf-du-Pape. We blended in a bit of Syrah to keep the wine true to the style of the Southern Rhone. With Grenache being one of our winemaker's favorite varietals to work with (and drink), "L'Imaginaire" has become a favorite wine for those on our mailing list and a favorite of the Vie team.
Sol Rouge Vineyard
Sol Rouge is a family estate vineyard located in the Red Hills appellation of Lake County at elevations over 1,800 feet. In the foothills of the dormant volcano, this land contains rich, red volcanic soil. Sol Rouge derived its name from this unique profile, translating to "Red Soil" in French. This 70-acre estate is planted with Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. On the northern edge of the Mayacamas Mountain range, this aggressive sight is all hillside with slopes up to 60% and is said to be the most tightly planted vineyard in the Red Hills, with nearly 6,000 vines per hectare in some blocks.
White Hawk Vineyard
The White Hawk Vineyard is planted on ancient sand dunes on the south-facing slope of Cat Canyon, a side of the Los Alamos Valley in Santa Barbara County. It is 21 miles west of the Pacific and 2 miles north of Los Alamos and is planted at 900 feet in elevation. This region is recognized as a top-producing wine region. Fog often embraces the small vineyard in the morning before gentle afternoon breezes chase it away, allowing the sun's rays to slowly ripen the fruit.
Wine Details
AVA: Lake County
Blend: 96% Grenache from Sol Rouge Vineyard, 4% Syrah from White Hawk Vineyard
Alcohol: 14.20%
pH: 3.67
TA: 0.64
Winemaker: Todd Seaver
Production: Indigenous yeast fermentation; aged 18 months in neutral French oak barrels
Tasting Notes
In 2016, the fruit was more concentrated than the previous vintage. On the nose, this wine exhibits dark raspberry and cranberry fruit with perfumed aromas of potpourri, savory spices, and a subtle hint of licorice. The light and elegant yet focused palate carries several layers of red berry and dark cherry fruit integrated with notes of black pepper, smoked meat, and ash, reminiscent of a summer campfire. This multi-layered palate continues to a focused, concentrated finish, evolving in the mouth with lingering red and black fruit and a hint of tobacco. This wine can be enjoyed with fish, chicken, or duck over the next 5-7 years.
[Information provided by Matador Vino]
Region:
North Coast
Vintage:
2016
Grape:
Grenache, Syrah
Country:
United States
Unit Size:
750.00 ML
Alcohol Percentage:
14.20
Appellation:
Lake County
750 ML
/ 14.20% ABV 
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