Vintage Notes

Grown in the Russian River Valley, the Black Muscat grapes ripen slowly in the cool, foggy climate, reaching their full flavor maturity much later than other varieties of grapes. A dry, late winter and early spring was followed by a long, cool summer. While we experienced no major heat spikes, the remnants of an unusual typhoon from Japan brought tropical moisture in the form of up to six inches of rain on October 12th and 13th.We picked the Black Muscat grapes just prior to the rains.Though harvest was a few weeks earlier than usual, the exotic flavors of the Black Muscat had accumulated enough to achieve thesignature berry and floral characteristics of our Eldorado Noir.

Winemakers Notes
The grapes for this wine are left on the vine longer than other varieties in order to achieve a “late harvest” style, shriveling the ultra-ripe berries to 29 to 30 brix. The grapes undergo carbonic maceration for five to seven days, which helps the wine achieve the unique and rich concentration of flavors. Grapes are then removed from the carbonic tank, crushed and cold fermented to retain their freshness and fruitiness. The fermented Black Muscat grapes are then pressed and aged in stainless steel barrels. The resulting wine is rich, aromatic, and mouth filling with a lingering finish.

Rhonda's Recipe and Pairing Notes

The 2008 Eldorado Noir is exceptional paired with decadent chocolate desserts, as well as vanilla bean ice cream or bread pudding with plum or persimmons. Fruit-based tarts, shortcakes, fruitcakes, pumpkin pie, pecan pie or baked apples.