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Vintage

2016

Reserve Magnum

Varietal Blend

Syrah 100%

Avg Sugar at Harvest

25.2° Brix

Alcohol

14.9

Opt Consumption

2019-2029

Cooperage

41% new French Oak

Harvest Date

Sep 7 – 9, 2016

Bottling Date

March 2018

Release Date

Nov 2019

Data Sheet

We only bottle a Reserve Syrah in exceptional years, and 2016 proved to be such a vintage. A picture-perfect, long growing season resulted in grapes with balanced acidity, ripe tannins, and reasonable sugar levels.

This exceptional Syrah in a wax-dipped magnum bottle makes every occasion special, whether it be an anniversary, birthday, or a highly-anticipated dinner party. Also available in a standard 750ml bottle.

*For the holidays, ground shipping is included except to the states of AL, AK, DE, HI, KY, MS, ND, NH, OK, SD, UT.

Shipping Included*

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Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Recipes
Accolades
Vintages

Vineyard Profile: Estate Vineyard
Located on a mountainside high above Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, the rocky soils of Montemaggiore's estate vineyards produce intensely flavored grapes at naturally low yields. Using biodynamic practices and organic materials, we farm Paolo's Vineyard without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.

2016 Vintage
With excellent quality and moderate yields, 2016 is the final vintage of Montemaggiore estate wines. The growing season started auspiciously with the first normal rainfall after four years of drought. Due to prior drought stress, the grapevines bore smaller berries and a slightly lighter crop than usual. Pollination was thankfully very even. The summer ripening season enjoyed slightly cooler than average daytime highs—perfect for deeply colored, complex wines. Mid-September brought some unseasonably cool temperatures which slowed down and spread out the harvest, a bonus for every winemaker. All our 2016 wines have great depth of flavor—a wonderful farewell vintage!

Winemaker's Goal
The Montemaggiore Reserve is intended to be the big brother to our Paolo's Vineyard Syrah: big, bold, intense, complex, and intended for long-term aging. Since it's only made in exceptional vintages, it reflects the best that Montemaggiore offers.

Tasting Notes

The aroma of the 2016 Reserve opens with deep, rich, brambly blackberry underpinned by hints of black pepper and coconut. On the palate, its structure is full and mouth-filling, with smooth tannins and a velvety finish.

Winemaking Notes

Montemaggiore only bottles a Reserve wine in exceptional vintages, just four times in fifteen years. At harvest, the grapes were destemmed but not crushed, then carefully hand sorted at the berry level. The syrah grapes underwent a four-day cold soak in open-top stainless steel tanks, then were inoculated with the northern Rhône Syrah yeast. The whole berry fermentation with punchdowns for cap management brought out the wine’s complexity on the palate. After a gentle pressing in a stainless steel basket press in order to limit astringency, the wine aged for 19 months in 100% French oak barrels, 41% of which were new. In July 2017 after 19 months of barrel aging, the wine was bottled.

Food Pairings
Being an intense and complex wine, the Montemaggiore Reserve goes best with like-minded dishes, as it can overwhelm lighter or simpler dishes. But don't underestimate its ability to shine alongside an engrossing book and a roaring fire.

The Reserve pairs well with grass-fed steak, grilled sausages, butterflied lamb, pasta bolognese, Manchego cheese, and bitter-sweet chocolate.

Consider trying our recipes for osso buco, wild boar ragù, and chocolate pepper cookies.

Accolades

Other Vintages
Montemaggiore only produces a Reserve in exceptional vintages.