Blair Fox Cellars 2008 Harvest Update & New Releases

New Release for Club Members Only:

2006 Paradise Road Vineyard Viognier:

2006 was an excellent year for Viognier. The cool temperatures and small crop load led to very even ripening with higher acids and fresh, mature flavors at lower sugars. The tiny grapes and clusters and a mere 2 tons per acre resulted in a wine with intense aromas of apricot, peach, orange blossom, honeysuckle, vanilla, cinnamon and spice, which precede refreshing flavors of peach, apricot, pineapple, grapefruit, honeydew melon, and vanilla. These grapes were hand harvested in mid-September and whole-cluster pressed to preserve the fresh, floral and fruity quality of this amazing varietal. The juice was then fermented in older French oak barrels for over three weeks and SO2 was added to prevent malo-lactic fermentation. It was barrel aged for an additional ten months before being bottled. Only 78 cases produced.
$26 per bottle-($20.80 member price)

2004 Purisima Mountain Syrah:

(Double-Gold medal 2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition)

The Syrah clones 877, 174 and 7 were harvested from steep hillside blocks of the Purisima Mountain Vineyard. These grapes were 100% destemmed and lightly crushed, leaving approximately 60% whole berries, into a 1.5-ton open top fermentor and cold-soaked for five days prior to inoculation. After the cold soak, the grapes were punched down by hand three to four times per day until fermentation was complete. The must was basket pressed and settled before being racked to French oak barrels for aging. Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate said, "This impressive quartet includes the 2004 Syrah Purisima Mountain (from clones 174, 877, and 7), a tiny, 100-case cuvee offering a blue/purple color, a sweet bouquet of black fruits, charcoal, and earth, full body, moderate tannin, and a ripe, dense personality (89+pts)." Only 94 cases produced. $38 per bottle-($30.40 member price)

New Release:

2007 Haylee's Rose:

This Rose is 45% Grenache Noir, 45% Counoise and 10% Syrah from Rodney's Vineyard in Los Olivos. I picked them on the same day at lower sugars and crushed/destemmed them together, cold-soaked them on their skins for 24 hours and pressed them off the next day. The juice was fermented in older French Oak barrels at cool temperature. At the end of the fermentation I added SO2 to prevent malo-lactic fermentation. It was aged in older French Oak for 6 months prior to being bottled under a screw-cap for its release on my daughter's birthday. It is named after my daughter Haylee Rose who was born May 1, 2007. Winemaker notes: Beautiful aromas of freshly crushed strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and framboise jump from the glass while mouthwatering flavors of watermelon, strawberry, cranberry and crisp acidity refresh your palate. Only 48 cases produced. $16 per bottle-($12.80 member price)

New Release:

2004 Paradise Road Vineyard Syrah:

2004 was a very warm vintage for Paradise Road. These grapes came in at the beginning of September, which is usually about a month earlier than most other vineyards in Santa Barbara County. This was the fourth vintage for Paradise Road and the crop load was only 1 ton per acre. The grapes were 100% destemmed and lightly crushed, leaving approximately 60% whole berries, into a 5-ton open top fermentor and cold-soaked for six days prior to inoculation. After the cold soak, the grapes were punched down by hand three to four times per day until fermentation was complete. This wine was aged in a combinationof French and American oak for 26 months and bottle aged for over one year prior to release. Robert Parker praised this wine saying, "the 2004 Paradise Road Syrah reveals aromas of melted chocolate, espresso roast, cr�me de cassis, and blackberries. Full-bodied and voluptuously textured, it is the biggest, fattest, and most alcoholic of this group. Thick and juicy with an unctuous texture, it is impeccably well-made, and should drink nicely for 5-7 years (90pts)." Only 198 cases produced. $34 per bottle-($27.20 member price)