Martin Ray Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021 (750ml)

 

The Martin Ray Synthesis Story

 

The evolution of a blend

 

The inception of Synthesis was in 1997, with the intention of making a flagship wine that was a defining representation for our love for the vintage.  In its most essential form, it is a tribute to our dedication in the cellar, the pinnacle of the fruits of our labor.  Acknowledging the quality of the fruit we have access to, and the breadth of terroir that shapes the wine, we set out to highlight each Synthesis vintage by blending our best barrels.

 

Designed to be a balance of integration, Synthesis is a culmination of contrasting elements.  Inspired by the nuances and depth of its parts, we blend our top barrels each vintage to represent two iconic appellations.  From the clonal diversity on our Estate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, to the variance and complexity of fruit sourced from the mountains and valley floor in Napa, we feel each element integral in the evolution of the blend.  A harmonious balance, Synthesis, in essence, flaunts the finest characteristics from each of its diverse components.

 

Martin Ray Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Napa Valley 2021

 

This blend flaunts the finest characteristics from each of its diverse regions.  This Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning compromise between silky, more readily approachable Napa Valley floor fruit, and the large chewy tannins that define the mountain appellations.

 

Harvest Date:  October 11, 2021

 

Months Aged:  16

 

Napa Valley

 

Our flagship Cabernet, Synthesis is blended to showcase the nuances of the Napa Valley floor counterbalanced by the structure and tertiary notes of the mountains.  Always quintessential Napa, it truly depicts the breadth of the appellation and distinctness of the vintage.

 

Sourcing:  Oak Knoll, Rutherford, Mount Veeder, Diamond Mountain District, Stags Leap District, Howell Mountain

 

Vineyard Notes

 

From the high elevations and volcanic soils of Diamond and Howell Mountain to the alluvial soils and warmer weather of Yountville, Rutherford, and Stags, this wine is the perfect marriage of the contrasting styles each vineyard offers.

 

Varietal Composition:  98.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Merlot

 

Vintage Notes

 

The culmination of factors from another drought year in California surprised us with a beautiful vintage.  An unseasonably dry and mild winter, which led to an early spring, forced the vines into bud break during peak frost season.  A relatively warm, but even summer, resulted in early harvest dates, with lower-than-average yields.

 

Winemaking Notes

 

Hand-picked barrel lots of our favorite vineyards.  Fermented in small 5-ton open-top fermenters for two weeks with pump-overs for cap management.  Aged in 40% new French oak for 18 months.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Deep and polished with plum, fresh cherry and marionberry with touches of cassis and clove.  Vibrant red fruits layered with dried sage and cedar.  Full and steadfast, its bright acidity is balanced by well-integrated tannins, with a hint of cocoa and earth on the finish.

 

Winemaking

 

A Tribute To Terroir

 

Our Philosophy

 

Wines of Place

 

There is much to be said about the allure of “Estate” wines, but as the idiom goes, variety is the spice of life.  At Martin Ray, we have little qualms about dealing from both sides of the deck if the result is the best possible wine we can produce.  Our estate has twelve acres of varying clones of Pinot Noir vines, but true to our motley personalities, we would be remiss to not take advantage of the extraordinary wine-growing regions that surround every side of our home in the middle of the Russian River Valley.  We have no shame in exploiting each region for the best it has to offer, and for us, that means dry-farmed, old-vine Chardonnay from the heart of the Green Valley, all the way to burley, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon from the high summits of Diamond Mountain in Napa Valley.

 

In some cases, it has been decades that we have cultivated the relationships with the growers who produce our fruit, and in that tradition, our dedication to quality will always outweigh a perceived loyalty to a specific region.  Thanks largely in part to our outstanding sources, from growers within the Russian River Valley, to the east in the world renowned Napa Valley, and south to the Santa Cruz Mountains, we are able to commit to allowing the fruit to speak for itself.  All of our lots are picked and preliminarily sorted in the vineyard overnight, or in the early morning hours, and delivered to the winery in ½ ton bins, where they are again hand sorted by our crew.

 

 

Martin Ray

 

Vineyards & Winery

 

The name Martin Ray resonates deeply in the history of California Winemaking.  Martin Ray was a pioneer, dedicated to crafting single varietal, region specific wine from 1943 through 1972 in Saratoga, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Mentored by Paul Masson, he took a burgundian approach to his winemaking, and developed what is now one of the most historical properties in California, known as Mount Eden.

 

Nearly twenty years later, Courtney Benham stumbled upon 1500 cases of Martin Ray wine in a San Jose warehouse.  Recognizing his good fortune, and his intent and drive to produce terroir driven wines, Ray’s historical significance and philosophy resonated with him.  Courtney purchased the brand, and since 1990 has been committed to the production of artisanal wines worthy of the Martin Ray name.

 

In 2003, Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery made its home in the Russian River Valley, on the edge of Green Valley at one of the oldest continually working wineries in California.  Today, Courtney and his winemaking team devote themselves to Ray’s ideology of making “wines of place”.  By sourcing from hillside vineyards, they are relentless at telling the story of each exceptional appellation and vineyard.  The depth of the portfolio offers those seeking a unique experience the chance to explore some of the most revered appellations in California.  From our 12 acre Estate, to the mountain regions of Santa Cruz and Napa, to the northern reaches of Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma Coast, there is an abundance of phenomenal growing regions, great farming, and meticulous detail to vintages.