Listening to him speak on the matter it is difficult to tell which Jason Moulton appreciates more, his 2013 Petite Sirah or the patch of volcanic soil that reared the grapes.
“It’s a beautiful piece of land,” said the winemaker for Brassfield Estate Winery, pointing out the perception of minerality it lends to each bottle and the long track record of dazzling reds it produces.
Brassfield’s Volcano Ridge Vineyard clings to the slope of an extinct cinder cone. The parched soil sends rainwater scurrying — a feature only winemakers appreciate, as rapidly draining land stresses the vines, which in turn concentrates flavors in the fruit.
“This block is truly exceptional,” Moulton explained.
So is the resulting wine. Brassfield’s 2013 Petite Sirah puts its plumage on display from the start, fanning enthusiastic aromas of fresh cassis and bright cranberry which swoop into darker layers of earthy beetroot, bubbling toffee and weathered velour.
It promises a florid display and achieves this on the palate with a burst of ripe berries over the rich savor of plums reducing in a kettle. As the fruit condenses, dense and earthy characters develop — toasted brown bread, the last cup of coffee from a French press, sliced beets, flue cured tobacco and black tar.
The wine is vivid, intricate and brooding in turn — as fitting and balanced as the colors found in a tussock plucked from a meadow.
“I couldn’t be more happy with it,” Moulton said.
The 2013 vintage marked the first time he produced a Petite Sirah from vine to bottle. And his zeal for it is even more profound after he admits to a certain aversion to the varietal in years past.
Things are different now.
“I drink this Petite Sirah more than any other red,” he pointed out.
Although he praises the terroir and the finished product, Moulton and his team at Brassfield put quite a bit of effort into the wine, as well. He relied on native yeasts and extended the maceration process before maturing the wine in American oak, 30 percent of it new.
“American oak can be really impactful,” Moulton cautioned. “I do a barrel selection — pick out our top barrels.”
He settled on the 70-30 figure after trials with lesser and greater amounts of eager wood. He then let it rest for 18 months.
Still, he looks to the old cinder cone ridge when discussing the 2013 Petite Sirah.
“This vineyard, time and time again is our preeminent Petite Sirah vineyard,” Moulton said.
So should the rest of us praise terroir, the winemaker’s deft touch or a beautiful wine? Call it even.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
