2008 Toucan Wines Carignane

-- only 217 cases produced --

The story of our old vine Carignane starts in the vineyard. These old vines are truly the most gnarly I've ever seen and date back to 1890's. Carignane is now an endangered grape in California, but widely planted in France and Spain. The low yield vines from this Contra Costa vineyard, the climate, deep sandy soils, and the location near the Sacramento River basin, produce a rich and lush flavor profile and delicate nose. In California, Carignane is usually used by wineries as a blending grape, adding value to Zinfandel or used in a field blend of several varietals.

About 12 years ago I met the grower, who now manages the farming of the namesake vineyard, but has worked these vines with his family in years past and knows every corner of this old vineyard. In 2006 we agreed that Toucan Wines would produce a bottling of this fine fruit and the result was thrilling. We again found time in 2008 and so this story begins at 12:30 am Friday morning the 5th of September -- the start the 24 hour Carignane road trip. Two guys, one truck a trailer and six bins of old vine Carignane.

Very little sleep, XM radio and hundreds of miles to drive - it's the middle of night towing a flat bed and driving in Photo Bob's Luxury Truck (aka Lux Truck). We arrive in Oakley at 5:30 in the morning and weigh in at the local scale and grab a quick bite and coffee at the only place open - McDonald's.

Picking starts on time but our picking slot is delayed, so I use the time to clean bins while Bob snaps a few shots of the old vines. The fruit finally comes out of the field and it looks great. Once loaded and the 6 bins are tied down - were maybe an hour and a half behind my schedule.

In route back toward 101 south we use the delay to our favor and stop in Dublin for BBQ at an old favorite of mine Armadillo Willies. We arrive just as they open.
 

Back on the road and after a few miles we do a driver switch. Now I'm behind the wheel of the Lux Truck pulling the fruit to make the next Toucan Wines Carignane. Looking back I notice what seems to be grapes flying off the trailer. Turns out I was seeing what was left of a trailer tire flying around. I pull over. Fortunately the other tires held the weight on this loaded 9000 lb trailer, and now facing another delay at getting these grapes safely in the winery.

On the side of the road in Gilroy, 100 degrees outside, the smell of garlic and fish emulsion, and after a run-around from a local towing service we hook-up with Bruce's Tire who gets to us in 10 minutes, replaced the tire, checked the pressure all around - and puts us back on the road. Our first lucky break of the day. Of course it didn't hurt that Bob had high-speed Internet access and a computer in the Lux-Truck to find the right resource.

Photo Bob's back behind the wheel, XM Radio, and we're jamming to get to the nearest dry-ice store before closing. Arriving back at Toucan Wines we unload the bins and noticed one of the other tires on the trailer was starting to separate and had gone flat. That was our second lucky break.

We crushed the fruit (with the kind help of neighbor Paul and Terrie of course), and cleaned up the mess of leafs, fruit pieces, and bins. Once finished for the night and a beer in my hand I was able to look back at one of the craziest 24 hours in recent memory.

The 2008 old vine Carignane was soaked then fermented in small bins and completed fermentation and ML in barrel. After a full 17 months in barrel, we hand bottled 217 cases unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is a big and beautiful example of plump berry Carignane with an elegant nose and rich on the palate. Sure to improve with age. 

The beautiful Toucan artwork on the Carignane label is titled "Toucan Symphony" painted by Laurel Sherrie, visit her website to see her other terrific work. 

2008 Old Vine Carignane Big and Yummy, ready to drink or hold, the 08' is a plump berry surprise and a mouthful. Lush is my word for it - elegant nose and a beautiful finish. 17 months in barrel and only 217 cases produced.