Wine Description:
A full bodied red with fresh blueberry flavors and a hint of vanilla and spice on the finish. The
addition of Cabernet Sauvignon adds structure to the wine and helps smooth out the aggressive
tannins of the Syrah.
Brand Story:
As a farm kid growing up in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s John Giguiere (Founder) was a
confirmed pyromaniac starting various things on fire such as his father’s wheat field. At one point,
fearing total ruin from his kids burning him out of the house and farm, his father took them to the
city jail for an hour stay to impress upon his brother and him the futility of their fascination with
fire. John and his brother answered at a later date by graduating from random fires to the launching
of rockets which often blew up at some stage of the journey resulting in more random fires and a
call to the local fire department for help. They eventually grew out of this fascination with the
“Matchbook” but still have fond memories of the power they possessed.
Growing Season:
This was a warmer season than normal on average which accelerated the early fruit ripening. A
cool August allowed the grapes to hang on the vine well into September which produced incredible
quality. Harvest began September 6 and lasted all the way to November 2.
Winemaking Notes:
After a one-day cold soak, the tank was bled to concentrate flavors. We pressed off at 3 degrees
Brix after an eight-day fermentation to allow brighter, cleaner fruit expression and avoid heavy
tannins. After two aerative rackings the wine went down to barrel in October and blended in May
the following year. 20% of the barrels were new French oak coopered in Spain; the remaining
barrels were older adding richness to the mouthfeel without masking the fruit flavors of the wine.
Appellation: Dunnigan Hills
Location: 35 miles N.E. of Napa County
Alcohol: 13.9%
TA: .68
pH: 3.67
Blend: 89% Syrah, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 4714 cases
All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
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Kosher
Wine which is produced and bottled under strict supervision and meets all standards to be certified Kosher.
Organic
Wine which is produced using organic practices and is free of all synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, hormones and pesticides.
Biodynamic
Biodynamic designation is regulated by Demeter, an international certification organization. Biodynamic agriculture is based on the view of a farm as a self-contained organism. Certified organic vineyards must meet Demeter"s additional criteria for a period of one year before earning the designation "biodynamic."
Sustainably Grown
Sustainable practices incorporate organic standards and may exceed them and include ecologically and socially sound business practices such as fair pay for farm workers and energy conservation.
Screw Cap
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No Sulfites
All wines naturally contain some sulfites, however wines that contain less than 10 parts per million sulfites are not required to include "Contains Sulfites" on their labels.
Futures
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Pre-arrivals
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Wine Advocate
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Wine Spectator
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International Wine Cellar
Since 1997, the 100% subscriber-supported IWC has also been available in French and Japanese editions.
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast Magazine is a lifestyle magazine covering wine, food, spirits, travel and entertaining topics. It was founded in 1988 by Adam and Sybil Strum and reaches 686,000 readers. Its wine ratings, conducted by reviewers in major wine-producing areas of the world, are considered an influential gauge for consumers and professionals in the wine industry.
Wine & Spirits
Wine and Spirits is America's practical guide to the straightforward, enlightened enjoyment of fine wine and and premium spirits. We have for 18 years served customers and marketers alike with a lively mix of wine reviews, features, profiles, food and wine pairings, new product introductions, travel pieces, history, opinion and wine business news.
Burghound
Burghound.com was the first of its kind to offer specialized, and more importantly, exhaustive coverage of a specific wine region. The first Issue was released in January of 2001 and there are now subscribers in more than 50 countries and nearly all 50 states. Allen Meadows spends over four months a year in Burgundy and visits more than 300 domaines during that time.
James Halliday
James is one of the world’s leading authorities on Australian wine, matching intelligent, honest reviews with unparalleled knowledge of, and passion for, the wine industry.
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
For thirty-five years, Connoisseurs’ Guide has been the authoritative voice of the California wine consumer. With readers in all fifty states and twenty foreign countries, the Guide is valued by wine lovers everywhere for its honesty and for it strong adherence to the principles of transparency, unbiased, hard-hitting opinions.
James Suckling
I rate wines using the 100-points scale. I have used this point system for close to 25 years. I still believe it is the simplest way to rate a wine, with its origins from grade school in the United States. A wine that I rate 90 points or more is outstanding (A), and worth buying. If I rate a wine 95 points or more (A+), it is a must buy.
View from the Cellar
View From the Cellar, an electronic wine newsletter published bi-monthly by John Gilman.
Wine Journal
Homepage for wine writer, Neal Martin's, "Diary of a Wine Writer".
Malt Advocate
Malt Advocate magazine is America's leading whisky magazine. It's the number one source for whisky information, education and entertainment for whisky enthusiasts.
