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2011 Clayhouse Estate Petite Sirah, "Show Pony", Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Inky black purple color. Aromas of ripe blueberries, mulberries, loganberries, graphite and black pepper. The wine is rich and full bodied with sweet ripe juicy wild blackberry and huckleberry fruit flavors. The wine has good acidity providing a backbone that accompanies braised full flavored meats as well as chocolate.

Puncheons. Racked once at 18 months to clarify and for final finishing in new French oak.

2012 Clayhouse Estate Petite Sirah, "Show Pony", Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Inky black purple color. Aromas of ripe blueberries, mulberries, loganberries, graphite and black pepper. The wine is rich and full-bodied with sweet, ripe juicy wild blackberry and huckleberry fruit flavors. It has good weight in the mid-palate, finishing with lingering vanilla, spice and toasted bread notes. Good acidity provides a backbone to this rich wine that accompanies braised full flavored meats as well as chocolate.

2012 was a warm vintage that produced ripe fruit. This translated into fruit forward, aromatic wines. Yields were average, as were tannin levels. This produced smooth, rounded wines packed with varietal aromas and flavorful varietal fruit character. 100% Hand picked. The grapes were 100% destemmed and berry-sorted. They were sent direct to tank, without crushing. The must was left to cold soak for 5 days at 50 degrees F before inoculation with select yeast strains. The must fermented in small 1/2 ton bins, with a maximum fermentation temperature of 82-85 degrees F. This small bin, warm fermentation enhanced the wine’s mouthfeel. The cap was manually punched down 3 times each day. We used a combination of BM4x4, CLOS, and D80 yeast, to suit our desired fermentation temperature and desired aromatic results. Free run new wine was drained directly to barrels after 21 days of fermentation and maceration. Malolactic fermentation was completed in barrels. The wine aged on light lees for 20 months in a 100% French oak, standard 59 gallon barrels and 132 gallon puncheons. We racked once at 18 months to clarify and finish.

2013 Clayhouse Estate Petite Sirah, "Show Pony", Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Inky black-purple color. Aromas of ripe blueberries, mulberries, loganberries, graphite and black pepper. The wine is rich and full bodied with sweet, ripe, juicy wild blackberry and huckleberry fruit flavors. The wine is luxurious and full bodied with good weight in the mid palate, finishing with lingering vanilla, spice and toasted bread notes. The wine has good acidity providing a backbone to this rich wine that accompanies braised full flavored meats as well as chocolate.

2013 brought a long, warm grape-growing season, but with relatively mild summer temperatures, for Paso Robles. Vine yields were low to average, which produced intense, concentrated wines with expressive, big fruit flavors and dense tannins. Hand sorted clusters, 100% destemmed, berry sorted, then direct to small bins without crushing. Cold soak for 5 days at 50F before inoculation with yeast. Fermented in 1/2 ton bins and oak puncheons. Hand punch-downs 4 times per day. Free run and basket pressed direct to barrels after 31 days maceration. Malolactic fermentation completed in barrels. Once completed the wine was racked and blended. Aged on light lees for 20 months in a combination of 100% French oak standard 59 gallon barrels and 132 gallon puncheons. Racked once at 18 months to clarify, and for final finishing before bottling.