Montemaggiore Blog
We are winegrowers not professional writers, thus this blog will probably only be updated a few times a year. In fact most of these posts either have appeared or will appear in our quarterly newsletter. Having said that, we hope you enjoy our insights on winemaking and winegrowing on a boutique level. We welcome your opinions and questions—and even your suggestions on future topics.

Vintage Chart for Paolo's Vineyard Syrah
We recently tasted every single vintage of Paolo’s Vineyard Syrah that we’ve ever produced—an exciting and enlightening event given that we don't often taste all these wines side-by-side. The resulting vintage chart will help you decide whether to open that special bottle of Montemaggiore Syrah now or hang on to it. Continue »

Wine Aromas, Syrah, and Rotundone
“Pepper”, “leathery”, “hints of cocoa”... do you find wine descriptors to be helpful? Come explore the magical, mystical world of wine aromas with us by focusing in on the “pepper” aroma commonly found in Syrah, the varietal we specialize in here at Montemaggiore. Continue »

In Vino Veritas: Syrafina gives a nod to Côte Rôtie
The newest wine in Montemaggiore's portfolio, Syrafina, was inspired by Côte Rôtie, the Rhone sub-region in France that produces Syrahs with a secret ingredient. Continue »

Not all Rosés are created equal
Montemaggiore makes an intentional rosé with pure red fruit flavors and lower alcohol—but some rosé is just a by-product of making red wine. Learn about the differences, and why you should care. Continue »

Syrah in Hermitage versus Healdsburg
Vincent and I went to the "Mecca" of Syrah and stayed in Tain L'Hermitage to revel in the wines, the vineyards, and the fabulous food. We couldn't help comparing and contrasting our vineyard and winery in Healdsburg with those of Hermitage. Continue »

Cabernet - Syrah Blends
Montemaggiore is one of the few wineries producing a Cabernet-Syrah blend, which we happen to call Nobile. Learn how we decide on the exact blend and why you don't see more of these types of wines. Continue »

Whole Cluster Syrah
We've started utilizing "whole cluster" fermentations, which imparts a depth and spiciness to our Syrah. This practice is somewhat counter-intuitive since we normally are very careful to remove bits of stems that our destemmer misses. Continue »