Niner Bootjack Red 2019 750 ML

VINEYARDS The 2019 vintage was excellent at both Bootjack Ranch and Heart Hill Vineyard. Ample rainfall and moderate tempera- tures led to a long, even growing season. When harvest arrived in the Fall, we were able to take our time and selectively har- vest grape clusters at their peak ripeness, without the rush that late season heat or rain can cause. Most of the grapes for this wine (82%) were grown at Bootjack Ranch in the Geneseo District of Paso Robles with the balance (18%) from Heart Hill Vineyard in the Willow Creek District. Given the differences between the two sites we harvested grapes for this wine in several different picks between 9/18 and 10/25. We hand-picked all the grapes at night delivering them to the winery by 4 in the morning. IN THE WINERY We hand-sorted, destemmed and grav- ity-fed the grapes into closed top stain- less steel tanks. We fermented each varietal separately in order to preserve their unique characteristics and after 18 months composed the blend. We then put the blend back into barrel to integrate for another 8 months. We aged it for a total of 26 months in French oak, 45% of which was new. At its core this blend features three varietals each contributing a different element to the blend. We start with Cabernet Franc as it provides a struc- tural foundation (dry tannin). We then layer in Cabernet for it’s complex red fruit and finally Malbec adds a mouthwatering juicy quality. This is a wine that is ready to drink now that broadly showcases the beauty of our two vineyards during an excellent vintage.