2017 Palachchak Zinfandel

ABOUT

Palachchak is the Coast Miwok word for the California Acorn Woodpecker. The bird is named for its ability to drill holes with its beak into trees or softwood (houses or posts) and place the acorn into the hole for food later in winter and spring.

As for the wine, we do a similar approach by carefully identifying the best lots of zinfandel and syrah after their initial aging. We blend those lots and return the wine back to all neutral French oak barrels for additional aging. The extended aging (24 mos.) allows for the full integration of the blend as well as further softening of the grape and oak tannins. Once the wine is bottled, it ages for an additional 2-3 years before it's ready for release–upwards of 5 years of aging! This results in a full-bodied wine that reigns with explosive fruit and structure but with a smooth, velvety finish. Expect this wine to age gracefully well past 10 years after its vintage date.

VINTAGE

The 2017 vintage experienced very hot weather in July and August after a cool spring. This led to a shortened growing season and an early harvest in late August of the Picnic Hill vineyard followed by the other vineyards in early to mid-September–all with a normal-sized crop loads. The wine averaged 21 days of skin contact before being pressed out. The result was a base wine with big blackberry flavors and long tannins. The wine aged for a full 24 months in 40% new American & French oak barrels.

VINEYARDS

65% Picnic Hill Vineyard Zinfandel, 25% Alitia Vineyard Zinfandel, 10% Winddance Farms Syrah

Story Winery Alitia Vineyard (Zinfandel) - planted c.1984.  Dry-farmed, head-pruned, organic. Planted on 'Sierra soil' (primarily, deep decomposed granite, forming sandy loam, well drained), east-west orientation.

Story Vineyards Picnic Hill Vineyard (Zinfandel) - planted c.1896. Dry-farmed, head-pruned, on original rootstock. Planted on 'Sierra soil' (primarily, deep decomposed granite, forming sandy loam, well drained), east-west orientation.

Winddance Farms Vineyard (Syrah) - planted c. 2002. Trellised VSP (Vertical Shoot Position), irrigated. Planted on Aiken soil, (primarily, well drained volcanic soil with deeper clay loam base), north-south orientation.

TASTE

Aromas of blackberry, nutmeg, cinnamon, and hints of black pepper. Flavors of brambleberry, currants, and cola explode followed by gripping tannins, subtle oak, and a long lingering finish.