Wine

Item Description

Onward Wines Single Vineyard, Old Vine Carignane, 2 bottles

- Onward 2014 Casa Roja Vineyard, Contra Costa County Carignane, 1 bottle

- Onward 2014 Hawkeye Ranch, Redwood Valley Carignane, 1 bottle

Name of Winery: Onward

Bottle Size: 750ml

Number of Bottles: Two

Varietal: Carignane

Appellation: Contra Costa County, Redwood Valley

Onward 2014 Casa Roja Vineyard, Contra Costa County Carignane:  The aromas open with fresh fruits:  sun-drenched brambleberries and plum, moving into spiced fruit compote, warm plum upside-down cake, while hints of rose wood and violets dance about the palate which is velvety, with lush tannins and a vibrant acidity to bring it all together.

This wine is full of plush, dark fruit and baking spice. She is complex and layered but greets you the way a beloved grandmother would, with open arms.

Winemakers Notes:

I absolutely fell head over heels in love with this heritage field blend site.   It is the oldest vineyard in the area, sustainably and dry farmed and planted in the late 1800s (!).

This vineyard lies along the edges of both the San Francisco and Suisun Bays. Walking in the vineyard is like walking on a beach, as it sits on 100% sandy soils, giving rise to smaller, hardy bush vines. The vines have been trained so the fruit is shaded from the wind and sun and the result is an intensity of flavors that opens to black fruits with a soft lushness due to the maturity of the tannins and the intensity of the site. The cool breezes from the bays result in a wonderful retention of acidity that is often lost in warm climates.

While this block is predominantly Carignane, it has some Mourvèdre and Malvasia Nero interplanted in it.  The vineyard is leased and farmed by Dan Gonsalves. It is affectionately called Casa Roja, named by the locals years ago.

A layer of whole cluster was placed at the bottom of the fermentor, then the remaining fruit was de-stemmed and the whole berries transferred to the open-top fermentation tanks to cold soak prior to native fermentation, which allows for delicate extraction and adds complexity. Gentle extraction was ensured also by performing punchdowns to mix the must, while higher temperatures are encouraged here to soften tannins.  After fermentation, the wine was pressed and sent to neutral French oak barrels, where native malolactic fermentation was encouraged (by keeping them cozy with some stirring).  

Onward 2014 Carignane, Hawkeye Ranch, Redwood Valley: Bright fresh aromas of Lambert cherry, Santa Rosa plum, cranberry and pomegranate are complemented by hibiscus flower aromas and a beautiful minerality.

This wine is lively and fresh with a smooth finish, she is comfortable in her own skin and upon meeting her for the first time this feeling rushes through you, and it is as if you have always known her.

Winemakers Notes:

This is the cool-climate expression of Carignane, this wine is driven by vibrant red fruit and framed by structured tannins.   

The 80-year-old vines are head trained and are huge—more like trees than vines. I can stand beneath the fruiting canopy of many of the vines.  The rootstock is St. George, which is excellent for dry-farmed vines when planted in deep soils such as these, and this vineyard is not only dry farmed, but is certified fish friendly and organic.

The vineyard sits at 722 feet in elevation in the Redwood Valley, located in the upper reaches of the Russian River drainage in Mendocino County. The gravelly loam soil provides excellent drainage and the crop load and vine vigor are naturally balanced, allowing for an organic farming style that promotes slow, steady fruit maturation.

A layer of whole cluster was placed at the bottom of the fermentor, then the remaining fruit was de-stemmed and the whole berries transferred to the open-top fermentation tanks to cold soak prior to fermentation, which allows for delicate extraction and adds complexity. Careful extraction is key here, as well as a modest amount of air from time to time. The fermentation is carried out at higher temperatures to soften tannins. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and sent to neutral French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation was encouraged (by keeping them cozy and stirring).  

onwardwines.com

Item Special Note

Bidder must be at least 21 years old.

Winning bidders located in Northern California may pick up their items at Stone Bridge School in Napa from Tuesday, March 28 to Tuesday, April 4, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. Items not picked up by April 4 will be mailed to the winning bidder, and purchaser is responsible for shipping and insurance costs.

Items purchased by bidders residing outside of Northern California will be shipped automatically (if possible) on or around Tuesday, March 28, unless you tell us that you do wish to pick up your item. Purchaser is responsible for shipping and insurance costs. Please contact us at sbspcauction@gmail.com before March 27 if you plan to pick up.

Shipping: Note that wine shipping laws vary widely from state to state (shipping to Utah is prohibited). To find out shipping and insurance costs along with any limitations on wine shipments to a particular location, contact the following Napa Valley wine shipping company: Cartons & Crates at (707) 224-7447 or shipping@cartonsandcrates.com.

Stone Bridge School and SBS Parent Council are not responsible for items lost or damaged during shipping.

No shipping outside the United States.