By Eco Terreno
2018 Leoncito Alexander Valley

Background
Great wines are not just produced; rather, they are carefully cultivated. At Eco Terreno, our wine-growing experience, along with a healthy respect for the land, helps us cultivate grapes that are of the utmost expression of the vineyard. In 1980, after an extensive search, founder and winemaker Mark Lyon found a 122-acre (93 acres planted to vines) vineyard in Alexander Valley near Cloverdale. Today, the Lyon and Cisne Vineyards are under the care of Daphne Amory, an expert in biodynamic viticulture.

Vineyard
AVA: Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
Harvest: October 15th, 19th, and 24th, 2018

Terroir
Lyon Vineyard was the source for our Right Bank-inspired blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Our Cabernet Franc grapes grow on sandy, free-draining Cortina loam soils. Cortina's added gravel texture helps create wines with rich tannins and purity of varietal character.

Vintage
With the 2018 harvest, things returned to a more normal schedule in Alexander Valley. Cooler temperatures, a long, even growing season with good fruit set, good rainfall, higher yields, and smooth ripening allowed us to dial in the flavor profiles, acidity, and ripeness of our individual blocks. A brief burst of rain in early October was followed by a nice dry spell with moderate heat. We were able to harvest beautiful grapes that were balanced to perfection by nature.

Vinification
Our Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc were co-fermented in a 10-ton fermentor, while the Merlot was harvested fully ripe a bit later and fermented separately.

Production
Blend: 46% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot
Aging: 14 months in 30% new Saury American oak and 70% neutral American oak
Alcohol: 14.60%
Total Acidity: 0.60 g/100ml
pH: 3.54
Bottling Date: April 20th, 2020

Tasting Notes
Each varietal contributes desirable attributes: Petit Verdot adds color, structure, and floral aromatics; Cabernet Franc contributes red fruit impressions (raspberry and cherry notes) and tobacco leaf aromatics; and Merlot grounds the blend with black fruit (black cherry and blueberry) and plum flavors. Our 2018 Leoncito (Spanish for "little lion") is a dark purple color. The nose is suggestive of dark black cherry and boysenberry, followed by hints of vanilla and baking spices. Smooth yet medium-plus in body, this wine offers rich flavors of ripe black cherry, red berries, and dark chocolate with a hint of spice on the long, silky finish.
[Information provided by Matador Vino]