Baldassari Family Wines

Baldassari Family Wines
USA CA
http://www.bfwwine.com

Contact: D. Michael
Email: [email protected]

In 2005 we sourced Syrah grapes from two separate vineyard sites, one in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County, and one in the Coombsville area of Napa Valley. In the Dry Creek Valley the fruit was grown on gently rolling hillsides in deep alluvial soil. The soil is rich and fertile as it surrounds the Dry Creek. There are complex soil deposits here from the years and years of deposits when the river would flood and leave sediment behind. The vines grown in this soil have a tendency to be very vigorous and will grow almost unchecked if allowed to while producing less fruit. The trellising system has to be optimized here to deal with these specific growing conditions. The weather here can be warm to hot during the growing season, with periods of thick marine layers that push in from the coast and cool things down dramatically. The fruit can ripen quickly so the marine layer is essential to slowing down the ripening process here. It also allows the grapes to retain some natural acidity which is essential for high quality red wine production. The Coombsville area is on the south-east side of the Napa Valley close to Carneros. The vineyards begin in the valley floor and work their way of the adjacent mountainside. The days can be average to warm and the afternoons can cool off quickly and become very breezy from the San Francisco Bay influence. As the evening progresses the marine layer will work its way up the valley with Coombsville being one of the first places to be blanketed with cool, wet fog. Our vineyard site is situated at 700 feet of elevation on rocky and gravelly soil which is relatively shallow and of poor nutrient value. This naturally controls the vigor of the vines and keeps the fruit level produced by the vines naturally lower than other more fertile areas. The cool growing conditions and low vigor soil really slow down the ripening process of the fruit as the vines struggle to accumulate sugar in the grapes. This also concentrates flavors and creates layers of complexity.

Winemaker: Matt Michael

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