2006 Rabid Red Wine Release 10/20/09

2006 RABID RED


The fullness and intensity of the 2006 Rabid Red is attributable to the fact that over half of the blend is made from the dark-colored, full-flavored Petite Sirah grape (55.5%). Forty-seven percent is from the Lodi area, and is softer and more immediately fruity than the 8.5% of inky, large-scale wine from the Ukiah area of Mendocino County.

The lion share of the balance consists of Bordeaux varieties: a stylish, cassis-and-tobacco Cabernet from the east side of the Napa Valley (5%), a denser, jammier Cabernet from the Sonoma County hills west of Calistoga (21.5%), and a more supple, spicy Merlot from Monterey County (14%). The remaining 4% is a minerally, aromatic Zinfandel from Amador County, which adds a nice raspberry and leather high note to the blend.

The Sonoma and Napa Cabernets, as well as the Mendocino Petite Sirah, saw a full 14 months of oak, 40% French/60% American. The Monterey Merlot saw 8 months of exclusively American oak, while the Amador County Zinfandel saw 10 months. The large component of Lodi Petite Sirah was split: To preserve its ripe, grapey fruit, about 42% of it saw no oak whatsoever; the other 58% saw a little more than 6 months on American oak.

The blend was made in April of 2008 and bottled, unfined, in June of that year.



Alc: 13.8% by vol. TA: 0.56 g/100ml pH: 3.42