Vine Connections | Wine | Argentina | Crios de Susana Balbo | Syrah-Bonarda '05 Our Wine Argentina (Mendoza & Cafayate) California (Napa Valley, Russian River Valley) New Zealand (Marlborough)

Product Name: Crios de Susana Balbo Syrah-Bonarda 2005

Varietal Composition: 50% Syrah – 50% Bonarda

Vineyard Locations:

Syrah – La Verde, Mudo Nuevo (Rivadavia)

Bonarda – Los Campamentos (Rivadavia)

Avg. Vineyard Elev.: 2,300 feet

Avg. Age of Vines: 39 years

Rootstock: Ungrafted

Harvest Method: Hand-harvested

Oak Regimen: 9 months in 50% 1-year French & 50% 1-year American oak barrels

Fining: None

Filtration: None

Alcohol: 13.5%

pH: 3.5

T.A. 5.01

Total Case Production: 10,000 cases

 

About the Grapes
Syrah is the well-known grape of France’s Rhone Valley and Australia’s Shiraz. Not well-known outside Argentina, Bonarda is surprisingly second only to Malbec in red grape plantings. Its origins are in Italy’s Piedmont region where it represented 30% of all pre-phylloxera plantings. In Mendoza, yields can reach 12 tons per acre (though with little flavor concentration). The key to producing great Bonarda is finding very old vines growing in the warm, sandy soils of eastern Mendoza, then limiting vigor through severe pruning and irrigation techniques. Luckily, Susana’s husband, Pedro, owns and manages such a vineyard.

Tasting Notes/Food Pairing Suggestions
Dark reddish/purple color. Intense aroma of black raspberries. This medium-bodied, very lively wine has loads of ripe red plum and black raspberry flavors with a slightly spicy character and a long, juicy finish. This 2005 vintage has a depth of flavor and intensity on the palate that is almost unheard of for wines at this price. It's a winner both before and during a meal. Certainly enjoyable in its youth, but it will age beautifully. A fun wine to try with a wide range of red wine-friendly foods, and one that will delight even the most pretentious connoisseur.

About the Name/Label
Crios means "offspring" (as in children). Susana selected a word to express the notion that these are wines that haven’t quite "grown up" to the same level of quality and maturity as her more expensive Susana Balbo label wines, but they receive the same loving care and attention throughout the winemaking process. The label features a series of three connected and overlapping hands, an image inspired by a Mayan artifact. The three hands represent Susana and her two children.

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