2022 Bismark Petite Sirah Méthode Carbonique 750ml
2022 HANNA Bismark Petite Sirah, Moon Mountain District, 92 POINTS, Wine Enthusiast
Vineyard: Our Bismark Mountain Ranch is in the Moon Mountain District Sonoma County appellation, high above the city of Sonoma and San Pablo Bay. We began planting in 1991 and continue to fine tune our mix of cultivars to this day. This is steep ground; shared with Creosote bush, grey pine, coyote, and mountain lion. Topographically it is like the Douro. Windy, sun drenched yet moderate in temperature, Bismark grudgingly produces grapes with an intense, deeply concentrated flavor. Bismark’s volcanic terroir is unmistakably captured in its wines. Petite Sirah: this small block of 746 vines was grafted in 2000 with budwood collected from the Eagle Point Ranch near Ukiah.
Winemaking: The grapes were conveyed directly to a C02 filled tank for Carbonic Maceration followed by pressing and inoculating a week later. We fermented it cold to retain freshness. It was briefly aged in in stainless and neutral oak prior to early bottling to preserve the fermentation character.
A Note on this wine: This wine is not about place per se. We liked the 2019 version and decided to make it again but at much lower sugar. Once again, we used the ancient technique of Carbonic Maceration which confers a softness, and a signature aroma very different than Saccharomyces yeast mediated fermentation.
Vineyard Location: Bismark Mountain block 9A Moon Mountain District Sonoma County
Age of Vines: 28 years
Alcohol: 14%
Bottling Date: June 28, 2023