Louis M. Martini, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Gnarly Vine Zinfandel, California Merlot

Louis M. Martini, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Gnarly Vine Zinfandel, California MerlotThe Gnarly Vine Zinfandel grapes were hand harvested by block and sorted by hand, then gravity fed into small, open top fermenters for a 3 day cold soak before primary fermentation. The grapes stayed on the skins for up to 16 days while the must was hand punched down 3 to 4 times a day for extraction. After the primary fermentation, the must was gravity fed into a gentle basket press, then fed into barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging. The

The vines are planted at a high density of 2

Fruit ripens naturally with high sugar and flavours in the warm summer

A beautifully poised Santenay Pinot Noir layered with vibrant red berry fruit

and then to mahogany

brought the first pre-phylloxera  vines to Bodega Colomé

and this they achieve by meticulous work in the vineyard and minimum intervention in the winery

The entire production is bottled at the same time and stays at in the bottle at least 5 months before going onto the market

When I have company I consider it obligatory

bought in 1998 by the Soares family: João

The harvest was done by hand with an optimal balance of aroma

prior to ageing in large wooden vats at our lodges in Gaia and bottled with an average age of 3 years

in open fermenters