2022 Bookwalter Readers Syrah (91 pts James Suckling)

VINTAGE NOTES:
A very mild, extended spring slowed bud break until
late April/early May. Temperatures stayed mild in May;
bloom finally started in mid June. Summer brought
steady higher temps, with 110°F once in July. Fruit
set hit in early July. Veraison was nearly two weeks
past normal averages. The first fruit was pulled in
late September. An extended warm fall blessed us with
steady temperatures that balanced out the ripening
until late October. Crop was much larger than average
and packed with concentration and quality.

WINEMAKING NOTES:
Our Syrah & Viognier were harvested on Oct. 13;
our Weinbau Malbec on Halloween. The Weinbau Syrah
and Stoneridge Viognier co-fermented in 5-ton open
top fermenters on skins with pump overs and punch
downs 2-3 times daily for 8-10 days at 75-85°F for
optimal extraction of color and aromatics. Once the
desired balance was reached, the Syrah was drained
off skins to neutral barrels and Malbec to concrete
for secondary fermentation. Once through malolactic
fermentation, wine was sulfured and aged on lees till
blended, then sterile filtered prior to bottling.