MATHIS

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BEST IN CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition  |  The flagship wine from the Mathis Vineyard, now in its 20th vintage!  The 2019 Grenache is a red fruit festival, headlined by raspberries and ripe Bing cherries. A lively freshness and a supple texture make the 2019 a superb food wine as well as a standalone drinker. The ferment included substantial amounts of whole cluster, uncrushed grapes which had a wonderful impact on the fruit profile. Every row of this beautiful Estate Vineyard is farmed by Peter Mathis since 1997!

PRODUCTION NOTES

VINTAGE: 2019 
APPELLATION: Sonoma Valley 
VARIETAL(S):
  82% Grenache
  10% Petite Sirah
  4% Carignane
  4% Alicante Bouschet
VINEYARD: Mathis Vineyard 
HARVEST: September 24-25, 2019
AGING: 20 months in neutral, 100% French Oak Barrels
ALCOHOL: 14.8% 
CASES: 490 
pH: 3.6
TA: 5.7 g/L

VINEYARD DESCRIPTION

Mathis Vineyard covers a 7.5 acre plot, situated in the hills above the town of Sonoma, on a warm, south-facing slope.  The soils are volcanic in origin, low vigor, with underlying rhyolitic rock.  The nearby San Francisco Bay, visible from the vineyard, provides a cooling influence and allows for extended hang time at harvest. 

PRODUCTION NOTES

The Grenache, augmented by small amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignane and Alicante Bouschet, were harvested together in mid-September and co-fermented in one 6-ton tank and two 1.5-ton bins. About 25% of the grapes were uncrushed (whole cluster) in the tanks, which led to the bright, signing red fruit profile of the 2019. Wild yeasts were used in the ferments. The must was pumped over twice each day in the larger tank, with the maceration augmented by two délestages mid-ferment. This is a “rack-and-return” technique where the juice of the tank is drained out, leaving the skins, then returned, allowing for thorough extraction. The 1.5 ton bins were punched down by hand 2 to 3 times per day. All three lots were pressed at dryness after an average of 12 days on the skins.  

Copious Spring rains led to healthy growth and near perfect vine balance, with good yields in 2019. Sonoma Valley enjoyed very moderate weather through the ripening season, with very few really hot days, allowing for extended maturation.

CELLARING

Drinking very well at release, its fresh acidity, supple tannins and juicy red fruit make it immediately accessible. I expect it to evolve and improve at least through 2025 and likely well beyond.

ACCOLADES

BEST IN CLASS/DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL - 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition