2003 Clos Mimi Shell Creek Vineyard

Owned and farmed by Jane and Steve Sinton, "shell creek" is a very remote vineyard on the eastern plains of San Luis Obispo County. This vineyard is tucked in a saddle beneath large calcareous badlands formations. In 1999 "shell creek" planted a wee 0.97-acre block of syrah for Clos Mimi after selling me grapes from a nearby 4-acre block. Vines are planted 3.5 feet apart. Rows run southwest-northeast along a limestone syncline. This block is planted with the UCD#1 clone of syrah on 5C. The soil at "shell creek" is a well drained sandy clay loam with of truffle-sized chunks of white limestone hiding in the topsoil. In 2003 yields at "shell creek" were an amazing 27.2 hectoliters per hectare (2.19 tons per acre). Harvest was the 17th of September. The sugar content in the grapes was 26.7° brix. The grapes were 100% destemmed. The grapes were 100% treaded by foot. The wine was fermented with 100% indigenous yeasts. Total maceration was 74 days exactly three full moons after harvest. The 2003 "shell creek" was aged in 225-liter Seguin Moreau barrels 3 and 4 years old. Total time in barrel was 26 months. The wine was racked barrel-to-barrel one time on the summer solstice in 2004. This wine was never pumped, acidulated, fined or filtered. This wine was bottled by hand via gravity on Clos Mimi's own equipment. There is no press wine in the bottle. Alcohol content is 15.5%. 100% syrah. Total production is 72 cases.