Agraria 2015, Big Barn Red, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard, 1.5L
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Appellation
Dry Creek Valley
Vineyard Designation
Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Harvest Date
September, 2015
Acid
6.6 g/L
pH
3.53
Aging
27 months in 33% new French oak barrel, 67% 2-year-old French oak barrel
Bottling Date
December 18, 2018
Alcohol %
15.6
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Agraria is a wine of intriguing nuances, starting with
complex yet subtle aromas of cherry and black currant
swirled with notes of eucalyptus, cocoa, cigar box and a
rich mineral essence. As the wine opens, the mouthfeel
softens and the texture exposes a bright acidity held in
place by the solid structure that remains tucked in the
background. Refined flavors of Bing cherry and black
raspberry merge with traces of tobacco, mocha, fine
herbs and spicy cedar. Each sip exposes another layer of
complexity and pleasure.
Production Notes
Our first vintage of Agraria was in 1996 when our
Bradford Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc and Merlot
grapes were ready to harvest at the same time. Normally
these two varieties ripen 7 to 10 days apart. When we
harvested them on the same day, we found ourselves short
of fermentation tanks, so we decided to co-ferment the
Cabernet Franc and Merlot. When we tasted the wine
from barrel that winter, we were floored by the richness
and suppleness of this mountain grown Cabernet Franc/
Merlot blend. We decided to bottle some of this blend on
its own, rather than just using it as part of our Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot blends; hence the birth of Agraria.
With the 1997 vintage we realized it was the Cabernet
Franc from Bradford Mountain Vineyard that made
our Agraria blend unique. Since 1997, our Agraria is
predominantly Cabernet Franc with Merlot, and sometimes
a little Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It is
always 100% Bradford Mountain Vineyard fruit.
Winemaker Notes
We are fond of calling this our “have your cake and eat it
too” wine, meaning that it’s an incredibly rich and big wine
that is ready to enjoy when released. The combination of 27
months of barrel aging in new and 2-year-old French oak
and eight years bottle aging allows this wine to integrate the
barrel and grape tannins, forming complex, smooth flavors
and seamless, silky texture.
Food Pairing Notes
With so many interesting flavor components, this Cab
Franc will pair well with a variety of foods from duck
confit to eggplant lasagna and more.