2006 Brownell Ranch Tannat, Alexander Valley
Mountains, rolling hills and river beds give the Alexander Valley an amazing variety of microclimates. Each year a handful of vineyards and vineyard blocks show their unique characters. A meeting with Tannat winegrowers from Uruguay in 2000 piqued our interest and inspired us to produce a wine from this varietal for our Block Collection.
| Vintage: | 2006 |
| Wine Type: | Red Wine |
| Varietal: | Tannat |
| Appellation: | Alexander Valley |
| Aging: | 15 Months |
| Bottling Date: | August 2009 |
| Alcohol %: | 14.1 |
Rich, ripe & full of intriguing varietal character, this wine represents the sixth vintage of Tannat from Geyser Peak. Deeply colored, the wine displays a potent aroma of exotic woods, rosemary and spices. The rich palate has juicy flavors of plum and raspberry, with a long, generous finish. The tannins are impressive, but nicely balanced with the intense fruit and spice flavors of the wine. The complex array of juicy fruit and attractive earthy elements produces a wine of beautiful balance and length. The wine will complement a variety of foods, from grilled mushrooms and shaved fennel to roasted wild game.
After making one vintage of Tannat from purchased Russian River grapes, we decided to plant 4 acres of this varietal at our Brownell Estate vineyard. The climate and gravelly loam soils of central Alexander Valley provided the ideal site for this variety. This 2006 is the fourth vintage from our own planting.
A somewhat rare variety here in the United States, Tannat is widely grown in both southwestern France (Madiran region) and in the original Basque plantings of Uruguay. In these aforementioned regions the variety is known for its big structure and lingering tannins but here in Sonoma the mild climate yields a full-bodied but still approachable wine that stands well on its own or blends beautifully with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
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