Price: $25.00
Summary: Our estate Chace Hill vineyard lies a stone’s throw from the shores of Wachusett Reservoir in central Massachusetts. Two acres of cold-hardy grape varietals, Marquette and Arandell, flourish in the summer sun. The Marquette grape has similar Midwest roots as our winemaker, having been developed to survive harsh Minnesota winters. It thrives in the relative warmth of Massachusetts and produces wines similar to a hearty Pinot Noir. Conversely, the Arandell grape is an East Coast alum of Cornell University and is known for it’s fungal disease resistance while producing flavors akin to Malbec. We are thrilled to grow and blend these two unique grapes to showcase the potential of our estate vineyard terroir.
Tasting Notes:
A dry bold red wine loaded with earthy black cherry, plum, blackberry, blueberry aromas with enticing notes of cinnamon bark, clove, nutmeg, and mocha on the lingering finish.
Aging Potential: Delicious in 2025 and will continue to age gracefully over the next 3-7 years
Technical Data
Appellation: Massachusetts
Vineyard: Chace Hill Vineyard, Lancaster, MA
Varietal Composition: 65% Marquette / 25% Arandell / 10% Petite Pearl
Aging Protocol: 6 months in stainless steel followed by 4 years in 8-year old French oak barrels. Bottled aged for an additional 5 months.
Alcohol: 12.5% ABV
Residual sugar: <50 mg/L
Production Volume: 700 bottles
Vintage and Production Notes
2019 was a warm, sunny, and blessedly dry rebound year after the constant rains of 2018. Intentional cluster thinning provided more air space for drying breezes to limit fungal spore growth, but also reduced overall harvest yields. A dry August was a boon to hasten fruit flavor and tannin development. We hand-picked the Marquette grapes in early September and Arandel grapes about 2 weeks later. The varietals were fermented separately and then combined after pressing for malolactic fermentation. Following 6 months in stainless steel, the wine was aged in an 8-year old French oak barrel for 4 years. A small amount of Petite Pearl was added to improve the finish flavor. The wine was bottled unfiltered and aged in the bottles for an additional 3 months prior to release.
Prior Vintage Information
2020