$30/bottle under the original label
The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play District occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.
N.113 is from the same producer as the previous Petite Sirah release, N.110, but its a different animal, far more expressive due to the 30% new medium to medium+ French oak which elevates the fruit and doesn't overpowering it. As you'll recall, my recent late August tasting of N.110 found that the wine has fantastic concentration and richness, but its still integrating its oak.
What we see with N.113 is a far more expressive, terroir-driven version of the same fruit. Clearly the winemaker saw a more accessible vintage and went in another, more elegant direction. I am a huge fan and, if you like that macerated raspberry, cherry candy and pepper combo, you will be too.
Medium/dark garnet in the glass - this is not an extracted version of Petite Sirah, more like a Pinot Noir-lovers version of the varietal. Effusive white pepper rises up through fresh, macerated raspberry and expressive layers of hard cherry candy, tobacco leaf, and leather with a lovely caramel robe enveloping the bouquet. Bright and vibrant with mouth-watering acidity and palate staining focus, candied fruit, pepper and spice lingering through a terrific retro-nasal driven finish. Deeeelicious. Shocking that this wine is 14.9% alc., it drinks more like 13.8%-14% - will be fantastic with a big steak!
97.5% Petite Sirah, 2.5% Syrah, 100% Estate fruit, 100% Fair Play District
30% new French oak (medium, medium+ toast)
14.9% alc. - however, this wine drinks like its 13.8-14% with plenty of crunchy acidity
Bottled May 7th, 2021
