2005 Next Red

Winemaker's Notes

Back in 1997, we planted three acres of Malbec and Petit Verdot to be used to blend with our Cabernet Sauvignon. Having enjoyed Malbec-based wines from Cahors in France and been pleased by the Malbec wine we made for blending, we created our own Malbec blend and named it Next Red. The 2005 Next Red is the second vintage of this red wine.

2005 was a vintage winemakers dream of because moderate temperatures throughout the growing season allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. Harvest began October 11 with the grapes measuring:

To produce this vintage of Next Red, we fermented the juice with the skins to extract their color and flavor. CO2 gas (a by-product of fermentation) bubbled up through the skins causing them to float to the top, forming the “cap”. We pumped the juice from the bottom of the tank and sprinkled it over the cap throughout fermentation to insure thorough extraction.

Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine stayed on the skins for another two weeks to soften its young tannins. Next the wine was moved into our caves for barrel aging. During its first Winter, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation which lowered its acidity and added richness. After many tastings in the Summer of 2006, we blended 25% Cabernet Sauvignon with 75% Malbec. The wine continued to age in oak barrels for another year. Bottled in August 2007, the wine had:

We are pleased to offer our second vintage of Next Red. With fruit-driven aromas of cassis, violets and cola, the 2005 has the liveliness and spice from Malbec with the elegant complexity of Cabernet. Nutmeg, milk chocolate and sweet vanilla notes add richness to the palate and the length to the finish.

February 2009