Langtry Farms Serpentine Meadow Petite Sirah Guenoc Valley 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 94 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

This massive, powerful wine offers intensely concentrated blackberry and dark chocolate flavors on a firm fabric of fine-grained tannins.  It is something serious to enjoy with braised or grilled lamb, beef or pork, and will continue to improve through at least 2030.  Cellar Selection  Jim Gordon

 

Langtry Farms Serpentine Meadow Petite Sirah

 

Guenoc Valley California 2019

 

The 300 year old Blue Bent Oak on the label symbolizes our determination to produce sustainably farmed, single-vineyard wines of distinction and character.  The Serpentine Meadow Vineyard, with its alluvial soils, is located at 1,000 feet in elevation, allowing for warm days and cool nights making it the ideal site for growing Petite Sirah.

 

Vintage:  2019

 

Varietal:  100% Petite Sirah

 

Appellation:  Guenoc Valley

 

Vineyard Designation:  Serpentine Meadow

 

Tasting Notes

 

The 2019 Serpentine Meadow Petite Sirah is dark, opulent and full-bodied with notes of graphite, black currant and baking spices adding flavors of blueberry cobbler, caramel and floral notes that leave a lingering silky finish.

 

Vineyard Notes

 

This five acre block takes its name from solidified magma, high in magnesium content, fractured to form the devigorating soils found here.  Long a source of remarkable Petite Sirah, this moderately dense planting creates small vines, clusters and berries that are deeply hued and offer lovely blackberry flavors, unusually polished tannins and exquisite balance.

 

Our Iconic Expression

 

Petite Sirah

 

Petite Sirah is one of the last varietals the winery receives at harvest and is worth the wait.  The Petite Sirah fruit is bold and rustic, with a robust tannin profile.  There is extended maceration before pressing and barreling down.  Finally, the wine will age in forty percent new French oak prior to its bottling.

 

Guenoc Valley California Wine

 

Despite covering a large area of around 4,500 acres (1,820 hectares), Guenoc Valley is home to just a handful of vineyards.  Here, full-bodied, concentrated wines from a wide variety of grapes are produced with Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay the most popular.

 

The first Guenoc Valley wine producer, Langtry Estate was established in the 1880s by the English stage actress Lillie Langtry, famous for having been the mistress of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII).  The winery was quite successful but unable to survive Prohibition in the 1920s.  The area became an AVA in 1981 and today, Langtry Estate is the sole reported producer. 

 

This mountainous wine region is one of the warmest in California.  The Mayacamas mountains that lie between the valley and the Pacific Ocean create a rain shadow, making Guenoc Valley drier and hotter than the regions on the western side of the mountains.  Careful site selection is vital due to the climate being relatively harsh for viticulture, and only the very best areas are chosen for cultivation.

 

The vines are planted on ridgelines up to 1,400 feet (426 meters) above sea level to take advantage of the cooler environment that altitude brings.  Altitude is central to winemaking in Guenoc Valley: it brings significantly cooler nights, allowing the grapes to develop complexity while retaining acidity.

 

Vineyards can also be found in the valley, where small, sheltered microclimates provide a cooler environment for the vines.  The intense summer heat means grapes must be harvested early, before the sugars get too high and the acidity drops.

 

The hilly terrain is largely volcanic in origin (much like the nearby Red Hills Lake County AVA), and the shallow gravel and loam soils are well suited to the production of premium wines.  Free-draining and rich in magnesium, these soils cause the vines to dig deep into the ground in search of sustenance, making them stronger and healthier. 

 

 

Langtry Farms

 

Langtry Farms & Lillie Langtry

 

Lillie Langtry, née Emilie Charlotte Le Breton was a famous actress and socialite during the 19th century.  She was born on the British Island of Jersey in 1853.  Lillie was one of seven of the Dean of Jersey’s children and his only daughter.  Although she never received a formal education, Lillie went on to have a successful acting career.  She starred in many plays in England and the United States.  In 1888, Lillie purchased 4,200 acres of land in California that would become Langtry Farms.

 

Winemaking

 

We strive to guide each single vineyard wine to its purest expression.  Each wine showcases the best qualities the vineyard has to offer, from Chardonnay produced in the heart of Guenoc Valley, to bold terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon grown at the highest elevations.  Our minimalistic winemaking style allows us to craft wines of distinction that are a unique interpretation of the wide range of our vineyard soil profiles, micro-climates, and varietals.

 

 

Rated 94 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

This massive, powerful wine offers intensely concentrated blackberry and dark chocolate flavors on a firm fabric of fine-grained tannins.  It is something serious to enjoy with braised or grilled lamb, beef or pork, and will continue to improve through at least 2030.  Cellar Selection  Jim Gordon