Twisted Oak 2003 Murgatroyd

Tasting Notes:
With a name like “Murgatroyd” you might expect this wine to smell and taste like a pink mountain lion. While this wine is as dry and intense as a night in the desert, and its spice and herbal aromas might be the result of a romp in the sagebrush, nothing could be further from the truth. Bright aromas of plum and blueberry, and full fruit flavors of raspberries, currants and vanilla, are certainly nothing like a pink mountain lion. Then again... why is he pink?

Vineyard Notes
Most of the grapes in this blend were sourced from the Vallecito and Tanner Vineyards just across Highway 4 from our winery in Vallecito. Both the Vallecito and Tanner ranches are rich in Calaveras county history and produce some of the best fruit in the region. They are owned and operated by third and fifth generation families whose integrity and salt-of-the-earth work ethics epitomize the values that California farmers have come to represent.

The remainder of the fruit was sourced from our friends Ron Silva and Markus Bokisch down in the Central Valley. The Bokisch and Silvaspoons Ranches are located in and around the towns of Lodi and Galt. Markus and Ron have also been supplying us with top quality fruit from the very early stages of our development. It is an honor to work with all of these fine people whose careful tending of their vines leads to wines that are dark purple-red in color with potential for full flavor and body.

Winemaking Notes:
Upon reaching the winery, the fruit was gently crushed and soaked on the skins for 48 hours in small bins prior to fermentation. The lots were then inoculated with a Bordeaux yeast strain. After several days and nearing the end of primary fermentation, the young wines were pressed off of the skins and put into barrels to finish out primary and malolactic fermentation. Halfway through the ageing process, the blend was put together and spent several months comingling in tight grained oak barrels. It was aged another 4-6 months in the bottle to allow time for the tannins to begin to mellow.

Food Pairings:
Murginade!
marinade tri-tip in Murgatroyd, soy sauce, ginger, & honey- anything with a big marinara sauce
traditional or SPAM pizza!

Technical Notes:

Varietal:	36% Cabernet Sauvignon- Vallecito Vineyard, 31% Tempranillo- Silvaspoons Vineyard, 19% Petit Verdot- Tanner Vineyard, 14% Grenache- Bokisch Vineyard
Alcohol:	13.7%
Titratable Acid:	0.56 grams/100ml
pH:	3.63
Volatile Acid:	0.062 grams/100ml
Brix at Harvest:	25.1
Aging:	22 months
Oak:	25% new French oak 75% used American oak