Vineyard

In 1997, we planted three acres of Malbec and Petit Verdot to blend with our Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Having enjoyed Malbec wines from the Cahors region of France, we decided to create a Malbec based wine and named it Next Red. Thanks to the popularity of this wine, we now have seven acres planted to Malbec.

A slow start to the Winter of 2016 made us nervous, but the rains finally came in mid-January and come they did. We ended the season with twice our normal rainfall - 65 inches! Summer temperatures were moderate which allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. We began harvest on October 1.

Cellar

To produce a red wine, we fermented the juice with its skins to extract the color and flavor. CO₂ gas (a by-product of fermentation) bubbled up through the skins causing them to float to the top and form the “cap”. To ensure thorough extraction, we pumped juice from the bottom of the tank and sprinkled it over the cap several times a day throughout fermentation.  

Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine remained 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 to lower its acidity and add richness. After many tastings in the Spring of 2018, we blended 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot with 83% Malbec. We continued to barrel-age the wine until it was bottled in August 2018.

Drinkability

At a tasting in June 2022, we tasted the 2016 and here are our notes: Violets, sweet plums, boysenberries, cream soda and cola aromas. Soft entry, rich mid-palate with notes of strawberries, granite, dark chocolate, mint, vanilla and toast.

At Harvest:

23.7° Brix sugar
0.57 g/100 mls acidity
3.47 pH

At Bottling:

14.3% alcohol
0.53 g/100 mls acidity
3.64 pH