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2013 Clayhouse Estate Tannat, Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Deep dark purple/black color. Dark dense aromas of candied plums and cigar box. The tannat is a robust wine with spiced plum and black raspberry fruit flavors.  The wine has big but polished sweet tannins and finishes with dark roasted espresso bean notes.

Vintage: Warm and long growing season but relatively mild summer for Paso Robles. Yields were low to average producing an intense concentrated vintage with expressive big fruit flavors and dense tannins.

2013 Clayhouse Estate Petite Sirah, "Show Pony", Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Inky black purple color. Aromas of ripe blueberries, mulberries, loganberries, graphite and black pepper. The wine is rich and full-bodied with sweet, ripe juicy wild blackberry and huckleberry fruit flavors. It has good weight in the mid-palate, finishing with lingering vanilla, spice and toasted bread notes. Good acidity provides a backbone to this rich wine that accompanies braised full flavored meats as well as chocolate.

2013 was a warm vintage that produced ripe fruit. This translated into fruit forward, aromatic wines. Yields were average, as were tannin levels. This produced smooth, rounded wines packed with varietal aromas and flavorful varietal fruit character. 100% Hand picked. The grapes were 100% destemmed and berry-sorted. They were sent direct to tank, without crushing. The must was left to cold soak for 5 days at 50 degrees F before inoculation with select yeast strains. The must fermented in small 1/2 ton bins, with a maximum fermentation temperature of 82-85 degrees F. This small bin, warm fermentation enhanced the wine’s mouthfeel. The cap was manually punched down 3 times each day. We used a combination of BM4x4, CLOS, and D80 yeast, to suit our desired fermentation temperature and desired aromatic results. Free run new wine was drained directly to barrels after 21 days of fermentation and maceration. Malolactic fermentation was completed in barrels. The wine aged on light lees for 20 months in a 100% French oak, standard 59 gallon barrels and 132 gallon puncheons. We racked once at 18 months to clarify and finish.

2013 Clayhouse Estate Malbec, Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Deep vibrant purple/black color. Aromas of violets, woodsy spice, orange zest, sweet fennel, vanilla, and black cherry fruit. The wine has good mid-palate weight with ripe plum and fresh loganberry fruit flavors. This dry red wine has a sweet fruit finish with good length, chewy tannins and lightly roasted notes. Our Malbec grapes provide good acidity, bringing a juiciness that pairs well with cured meats and specialty cheeses as well as simply prepared steak.

Vintage: The 2013 growing season was long and warm, but with a relatively mild summer for Paso Robles. Yields were low to average, producing intense, concentrated wines with expressive, big fruit flavors and dense tannins.

2012 Clayhouse Estate Syrah, Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles
Deep purple garnet color with aromas of violets, liquorice, cloves and blackberry. Wine has medium weight and smooth rounded tannins to compliment the juicy sweet ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit with fresh anise undertones. The wine finishes with lightly smoky spice and a lingering vanilla warmth.

Vintage: A warm vintage that produced ripe fruit translating into fruit forward aromatic wines. Yields were average and as were tannin levels producing smooth, rounded wines packed with varietal aromas and flavorful fruit character in the mouth.

Fermentation: Co-fermented with 2% Viognier in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with max ferm temps up to 82-86 F to preserve aromatics and keep fermentation rates steady. Used a combination of Rhone 4600, D21, D80 and D254 yeast depending on clone and desired fermentation temperature and technique. Pressed at dryness after 17 days maceration. Racked off gross lees after 3 days settling and inoculated for malolactic fermentation.