Maceration notes:
Fruit from the Burwell ranch went through a 7-day fermentation, followed by an extended maceration on the skins for an additional 7-days. The Lily Hill fruit went through a 12-day fermentation and was pressed at dryness due to complex tannin structure and complete extraction.

Sensory Notes:
The 2005 Sonoma County syrah is a complex wine that delivers intense dark fruit flavors as well as characteristic smoke and earth components. The wine exhibits an incredible ripeness that only the hot days and cool evenings of Dry Creek Valley can provide. Expect this luscious syrah to improve in the cellar for at least 8-10 years.

Vineyard Notes:
Grapes are sourced essentially from two sides of the same mountain. Lily Hill is Bella’s estate hillside property where steep slopes, thinner soil and high clay content allow the syrah to reach its full potential ripeness. The Burwell property is a strip of hillside soil that borders Pena Creek just south of Lily Hill. Its cooler location allows a slower ripening process, giving the wine structure to age well.

Vintage Synopsis:
The 2005 harvest was a banner year for many wine regions, with the Dry Creek Valley being no exception. A long, cool growing climate allowed the grapes to hang until their optimal ripeness.

Strictly limited production. Only 400 cases produced.