Chariot
Pinot Grigio, Central Coast 2003
Super fresh and great for summer foods, this dry and crisp white wine displays
faint honeysuckle and pineapple aromas with chalky mineral undertones. Drink
it cold with shellfish or appetizers hot off the grill.
The Vineyard
High calcium content in the vineyard’s soil contribute to the mineral
and chalk aromas in the Pinot Grigio. The cool growing conditions in this
area and stressful soils help to create firm, subtle and tart wines that are
refreshing and pair well with food.
Winemaking
The grapes were harvested in late September at an average of 23.5 degrees
brix. The wine was fermented with Montrachet yeast in stainless tanks. After
fermentation, half of the wine was stored in neutral barrels, the remainder
in stainless tanks. No malo-lactic conversion was used in the making of this
wine.
$9.99/ bottle
Chariot Central Coast Sangiovese 2003
This vibrant, young Sangiovese was bottled in November 2004, after 12 months
in seasoned oak barrels. Intense aromas of cherries, minerals, and forest floor
will integrate with the wines rich textures over the next six to eight months.
The wine is delicious now, and will improve in the bottle for the next couple
of years.
The Vineyard:
The fruit for our Sangiovese comes from Mer Soleil Vineyard in central California.
Its location on a western hillside bench is prime grape-growing country due
to well-drained loamy soils and the influence of cool coastal morning fog and
temperate sunny afternoons. Mer Soleil is owned and managed by Caymus Vineyards
owner and winemaker Chuck Wagner, who uses most of the property’s fruit
for his Conundrum white wine blend and Mer Soleil Chardonnay. Since Wagner is
not producing Italian varietals, he was kind enough to part with the outstanding
ripe fruit that goes into this luscious, full-flavored Sangiovese.
Winemaking:
As is typical of red grapes planted in the Mer Soleil Vineyard, the harvest
was in late November. Warm weather extended into the third week, and the wine
began fermentation over Thanksgiving weekend. The long, slow ripening accounts
for the balance in the wine, and as the grapes dehydrate a little on the vine
the flavors become more concentrated.
$11.99/ bottle
Chariot Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah 2001
This juicy Syrah exhibits aromas of ripe plums and berries, sandalwood, hazelnuts,
and flowers. Subtle bacon and black pepper nuances appear in the first sip along
with a rich mouthfeel balanced by well-structured acidity and tannins. The finish
is long, coating the palate for about 90 seconds, just long enough to relish
this decadent indulgence before returning for more.
The Vineyard:
All the fruit for our luscious and intense inaugural Syrah came from 14-acre
Binzaca vineyards, which is owned and managed by Caymus Vineyards winemaker
Chuck Wagner. Its Santa Lucia Highlands location—perched 100 feet above
the Salinas Valley floor on an eastern-facing plateau—is perfect for Syrah
thanks to well-drained loamy soils and the influence of cool coastal morning
fog and warm, sunny afternoons. The vineyard here is in good company. The fruit
that goes into Caymus Viognier and Marsenne grows on the lower level of the
terrestrial slope, and nearby vineyards are owned by renowned Pinot Noir and
Syrah growers Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni.
Winemaking:
Picked in late October when the grapes were at peak ripeness the fruit pleasantly
surprised us with its natural intensity, richness, and generous sugar content
of 25 Brix. Thirty – eight tons of syrah were co-fermented with about
10 tons of Sangiovese to achieve a balanced, and in my opinion a more ‘food
friendly’ Syrah.
$14.99/ bottle
