Patois Vidal/Harrison Co-Ferment

Shenandoah County, Augusta County

Still Wine, 750 mL

37 Cases Produced

Fruit/Site:

50% Vidal Blanc grapes from Sherman Ridge in Shenandoah County. Conventionally grown.

50% Harrison apples from Countryside Farm in Augusta County. Conventionally grown.

Both sites are roughly 900’ in elevation, with silt loam over interbedded dolomitic limestone, shale, and sandstone.

Season:

The warm, dry 2019 growing season pushed the Vidal harvest early, but the fruit was in great shape at the target pH.

Harrison apples, favored for their depth of fruit and texture, were also heavy with high sugars.

Fermentation/Development:

The whole cluster grapes were foot-tread to macerate for 18 hours, gently pressed, and then racked to begin fermentation in poly tanks. The apples sweated at ambient temperature and were then milled into the fermenting grape juice, macerating for three days with the cap kept wet by hand. Everything was then pressed again into a used 350 L French oak barrel.

Aged 6 months in barrel without racking or batonnage, then an additional 7 months in bottle prior to release. No SO2 additions made.

Tasting:

Pine forest, magnolia, black cherry, green walnut

Recommended to decant off of natural sedimentation.