2006 Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red Wine

Growing Season

• The 2006 growing season was marked by extreme weather patterns. Spring was wet and cooler than normal, followed by a long, dry and hot summer.
• These factors contributed to excellent acid levels in the grapes, balanced canopies and small berries.
• The warmer parts of the Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope saw early ripening and bold flavors from the high temperatures.
• In cooler growing areas, later ripening prompted good acidity and flavor in white varietals, as well as good color, pronounced fruit flavors, and smooth tannins in reds.
  

Vineyards

•  Columbia Valley vineyards are seated east of the Cascade Mountain range. Up to 14,000 feet high, the mountains effectively block eastward-moving wet weather systems from the Pacific Ocean.
• Just 6-8 inches of rainfall reach the growing region annually. Vineyards are 100% drip irrigated.
• The soils have low fertility and low water-holding capacity, allowing precise control of vine growth patterns.
• Vineyard 10 is the largest single estate vineyard in Washington state with some of the oldest vineyards in Columbia Valley.
• The vineyard is situated along the banks of the Columbia River; this positioning is a unique feature that allows both white and red grapes to flourish.

Vinification

• Grapes were destemmed and crushed with 20% whole berries remaining, and inoculated to begin fermentation.
• Fermentation lasted 6-10 days on the skins, with a twice-daily pump over regime to extract soft tannins.
•  Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks.
• Some of the components of the final blend aged 12 - 14 months in French and American oak barrels.
  

Technical Data

• Total acidity: 0.64 g/100ml
• pH: 3.61
• Alcohol: 13.3%
• Blend: Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Barbera, Mouvedre, Dolcetto