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2004 Toucan Wines Estate Zinfandel (Toucan Vineyard, Zinfandel & 12% Petite Sirah)
2004 in the vineyard... Pruning began in January during a mild winter; high winds
during flowering impacted the fruit set resulting in a reduced yield. Some early
winter heat combined with a very dry spring brought early development of the
fruit and summer weather offered a slightly shorter growing season. In July, we
pulled leafs from vines to expose the fruit and we thinned the fruit to improve
quality. Veraison began in late July and by early August we had netted the
vineyard and awaited full ripening. Harvest began September 9th starting with the Petite Sirah, sugars at harvest ranging from 24 - 24.5 Brix
for the estate Zinfandel, and 25.5 for the estate Petite Sirah.
In the winery, the 2004 fruit was gently crushed by lots, cold soaked for several days and fermented in small open bins. A small basket press was used to separate pressed juice for blending. The 2004 vintage spent 11 months in 80% new French and American oak barrels. The finished 2004 Estate Zinfandel includes a 12% blend of the estate grown Petite Sirah and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The finished 2004 Estate Zinfandel a young-wine that’s developed nicely in the
bottle and will further develop over the next several years. This wine is a rich
dark-colored ruby-purple Zinfandel with a nose of ripe cherry and
This vintage of Toucan Wines Zinfandel yielded a mere 100 cases. Our limited production of estate grown Zinfandel is part of what makes us unique and one of the smallest estate wineries in California. GREAT ZIN WITH FOOD!
"...bright, slightly piquant nose of black cherry, red currant, red rose and a bit of white pepper. The wine is rich, yet brisk on the palate despite the ripeness of its currant/cherry fruit. The finish is long and dry and attractively reprises the rich/zesty contrast; as focused flavors of red currant, teaberry, cherry, rose and white pepper all fan out. This delicious Zin is perfectly balanced for food service and it should be just the thing for grilled & stuffed veal chops, roast pork, or veal scaloppini with mushrooms" -Don Gillette, Napa Valley Winery Exchange
Acid: 3.50 pH .711 TA Alcohol: 14% Release: 100 cases Pricing: SORRY, SOLD OUT
2006 Toucan Wines - Toucan Blush (100% Old Vine Carignane)
This
young, fun blush wine is made from rare old-vine Carignane grapes grown in
The
resulting wine seems best served slightly cold; it’s dry strawberry and
vanilla-oak nose, round mouth-feel and off-dry finish make this wine unusual
among its Rose peers. Very pleasant with food or as a starter, the Toucan Blush
will compliment your meal setting the stage for a more serious wine with your
entrée.
Harvest: September 19, 2006 at 25 Brix - Evangelho Vineyard Alcohol: 14.1% Price: SORRY, SOLD OUT 2004 Toucan Wines Estate Petite Sirah (Toucan Vineyard, 100% Petite Sirah)
The majority of our estate Petite Sirah was of course blended into the 2004 Estate Zinfandel, the remainder was bottled separately in very limited quantities.
Harvested on September 9th, at 25.5 Brix, the Petite Sirah cold soaked for several days and fermented in a small 1/2 ton bin. Only the free run juice was kept and the pressed juice was discarded. The remaining wine rested for 11 months in a fine new oak barrel.
This wine is a wonderfully rich and dark ruby; it's nose is ripe cherry, currant, and blackberry; tastes of riper dark berry and fresh plum fruits with acid and medium-plus tannins that will hold up to bottle aging. Enjoy now with a stand-up meal or lay down for a few years. Enjoy!
Alcohol: 14.5% Release: November 1, 2006 Pricing: SORRY, SOLD OUT 2002 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 90% Zinfandel & 10% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The 2002 harvest of Toucan Wines Zinfandel was a little late taking place on September 23rd, 2002. This year's harvest yielded smaller berries and clusters that were unusually dry, but not over ripe. This resulted in a concentrated wine with very common character found in Zins made from the Benito Dusi Ranch grapes. The 2002 fruit from the Benito Dusi Ranch was selected from old vines located on an Eastern section near the railroad tracks on the hills behind the tractor shed. These older vines ripened their fruit to a perfect 25 Brix at the time of harvest. A small quantity of Petite Sirah was harvested from the very few vines left on the ranch and added to the field blend for fermentation along with the Zinfandel. The 2002 must was cold soaked, and spent 12 months in French oak barrels.
Tasted 12/04: Still young but drinking very well, tasty ripe Zinberry fruit, this is a big wine standing-up to almost any food. Drink or hold.
Tasted 4/06: Ready now and drinking nicely - big fruit and balanced wine, elegant Zin.
Tasted 3/07: At it's peak - very nice and balanced. Drink-up 2000 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 97% Zinfandel & 3% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The harvest of the 2000 Toucan Wines Zinfandel took place on September 4th, 2000. The harvest was estimated (early in the season) to be a large crop, with unusually great leaf growth due to the rains of the previous winter. Early drying of the fruit produced less then previously estimated in terms of yield. The remaining fruit was very tasty, ripe and in great condition.
Our selected fruit, from the Benito Dusi Ranch, was from a section of the ranch that we haven't made wine from - since 1993. These sections included the old vines behind Benito's shed on the slope nearest the railroad track and the old vines at the frontage road on the south/western side of the ranch. The fruit was harvested in the early morning at a perfect 25 Brix (97% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah). The fruit was crushed by early afternoon, with the help of winery volunteer Jack, and then covered to begin cold soaking prior to fermentation. The wine spent 11 months in new barrels, during that time the wine was only racked once - allowing the wine to complete ML and develop. The result is a very elegant, clean, full flavored, big-fruit wine with a good oak back bone.
Color: Dark Ruby Nose: Intense black cherry, raspberry, and some dark plum. The oak is upfront and frames the fruit. Taste: The 2000 has rich flavors of ripe, sweet cherry and some spicy black pepper, juicy and ripe Zinberry fruit with vanilla, and toasted oak. This wine is drinking very nicely now.
Tasted 12/04: Ripe, round fruit with elegant mouth feel. Nicely balanced Zinfandel. Enjoy!
We recently drank the last bottle of this terrific wine, I wish that I had another 100 cases for my own use. I just loved this wine! 1999 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 87% Zinfandel & 13% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The September 24th harvest came a little late for us, but not as late as in 1998 (October 8th) - still, later than the 2000 harvest (September 4th). Harvest at the ranch was delayed this year due to unseasonably cool weather in early summer and some last minute rain showers. Harvest at the Ranch began on September 16th, about a month behind usual.
The 1999 Toucan Wines Zinfandel from the Benito Dusi Ranch was harvested from the oldest vines (South/Eastern section) on the ranch, we selected a mix of 87% Old Vine Zinfandel and 13% Petite Sirah. But, yields were the big news this year - down 50%, in fact, most all the wineries received substantially less fruit. We felt lucky to have received any fruit at all! Sugars at harvest were lower (23 Brix) than other years, the result of cool-foggy mornings the week before our harvest date. The lower sugar allowed us to make a very approachable full-bodied wine with 13.7 percent alcohol. The good news about the 1999 growing season was the consistency of the fruit - it was beautiful, juicy and ripe with flavor.
On August 27th, 2000 we bottled the 1999 Toucan Wines Zinfandel - a seriously delicious, well balanced and fruity Zinfandel with lots of body. The 1999 wine spent 11 months in new and newer French oak barrels finishing at 13.7% alcohol. Unlike the 1998, the 1999 may have a longer shelf life due to the lower alcohol. I expect this wine will develop in the bottle and be ready for drinking at release, but continue to improve over many years to come.
Tasted 3/07: Lighter, still drinking nicely 1999 Toucan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon(Mann Vineyard, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
As you may know, Toucan Wines intends to continue to specialize in big and bold Zinfandels - but once in a while we're offered quality fruit from another variety that we simply can't pass up. This was one of those times.
The 1999 Toucan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on October 20, 1999 at it's peak of ripeness at 25.0 Brix, producing a wine with 14.9 percent alcohol. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine was the result of a wonderful growing season that allowed the grapes to produce a medium bodied and very ripe fruit flavored Cabernet that's approachable now and still big enough to age several years in the bottle. Mike Mann (winegrower) described the 1999 season as "perfect for big, ripe Cabernet... the grapes are higher in sugar than usual from my vineyard". After 12 months in French oak barrels (half new oak) we decided that the oak flavors were starting to reach a point of perfect balance with the Cabernet fruit. On October 22, 2000 we bottled the wine.
Tasted 11/00: Very nice drinkable Cabernet with some herbal tones and bright, ripe Cabernet fruit flavors. Medium bodied wine, not huge or greatly complex, but not a simple or plain wine either. Very enjoyable now, will develop and improve over the next several years with bottle age.
Tasted 4/06: still drinking well, some green pepper has appeared and some milder tea notes that come with age, well balanced if not a little tannic.
Tasted 3/07: Very nice - at it's peak. 1998 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 89% Zinfandel & 11% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
This years harvest came very late due to the colder Summer weather caused by the now famous El Nino of 1998. Harvest took place on October 8th, nearly two months later than last year's, but the fruit was great.
The Zinfandel fruit from the Benito Dusi Ranch in Paso Robles, California was harvested from the oldest vines on the ranch making this vintage a real treat for us at the winery. The fruit was beautiful, the grape bunches were very small and compact. On harvest day, winery volunteer Geoff McDonald joined me at the ranch to sort through each bunch eliminating any mildewed or unwanted fruit. In previous years we have used grapes from different sections of the ranch (some sections have younger vines, are in slight valleys or on hillsides), but never have we been able to use all old vines. The vines I'm referring to are about 70 years old and suffer from low yields and old age - the good news is that older vines grow fruit that can make wines more complex and interesting. Well, it's too early to tell if this wine is better or worse than previous vintages - but one day we should be able to tell them apart.
The Zinfandel fruit was crushed and destemmed (using our new crusher) with 50% of the berries left whole in the fermentation to add fresh fruit flavors to the finished wine. The crushed fruit, after soaking for a day, measured 27 Brix before fermentation started (look out, lots of alcohol in this one). Fermentation completed in ten days with fermentation temperatures reaching a high of only 84 degrees - due to the late season, the winery was colder than usual and the wine responded by keeping it's cool. The pressed wine (pressed with our new hydraulic press - a real back-saver) has quietly spent eleven months (almost to the day) in French oak barrels.
The finished wine was hand bottled on September 11th, 1999 with the help of winery volunteers David, Kuni, and Wayman. The result is a slightly different, more medium-bodied wine with balanced Zin-berry fruit and plenty of kick. It maybe my imagination, but the flavors are more interesting to me than other vintages at this early stage (who knows, maybe those old vines are showing their stuff already?). This bottled wine has a very healthy 15.9% alcohol content and has completed ML fermentation. I think you'll find this Zinfandel best matched with BBQed meats, pastas or flavorful cheeses. This 1998 Zinfandel will continue to develop over the next several years (when properly stored), but the high alcohol may reduce the shelf life of this wine. I would begin drinking this wine in 2000 after giving it more time to further develop a balance of fruit and oak flavors.
Tasted: 7/05: Still big, but the fruit is starting to give way.
Tasted: 4/06: (magnum) Big, round, lush fruit, well balanced at it's peak for sure - a gem and the alcohol doesn't overwhelm.
Tasted 3/07: This wine is still hanging in there - I love it. We're drinking up the last couple of cases. 1997 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 85% Zinfandel & 15% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The fruit that made the Toucan Wines 1997 Zinfandel was harvested on August 10th, 1997, the earliest of our now six harvests from the fabulous Benito Dusi Ranch in Paso Robles, California. The Dusi Family Ranch has been growing some of California’s finest quality Zinfandel fruit since the 1930’s.
This year, the Zinfandel fruit was crushed and destemmed with about 40% of the berries left whole in the fermentation to add fresh flavors to the finished wine. The crushed fruit, while soaking and awaiting the fermentation process, collected additional sugars from the pulp (very common in Zinfandel) resulting in a sugar level measuring 25.5 Brix before fermentation. Fermentation was complete in nine days with fermentation temperatures reaching a high of 92 degrees. The pressed wine quietly spent eleven months in French oak barrels and was hand bottled on July 21st with the help of winery volunteers Beverly and David.
The result of our efforts is a wine with fresh and wild Zin-berry flavors in balance with the oak flavors derived from barrel aging. The fruit from this vineyard has proved, once again, that quality grapes control the end product. This bottled wine has a hefty 14.8% alcohol content and has completed only 50% of the melolactic fermentation we often talk about. This partial conversion to lactic acid results in fruitier flavors, especially when compared to the Toucan Wines 1996 Zinfandel (that completed 100% ML fermentation). And for those who follow our winemaking efforts, in comparison, the 1998 Toucan Wines Zinfandel completed 100% ML fermentation in the very early stages of the winemaking process, just as the 1996 had.
We believe you'll find this flavorful red wine best matched with smoked meats, pastas or strong and flavorful cheeses. This 1997 Zinfandel will continue to develop over the next several years, when properly stored, developing further balance of the fruit and oak flavors. Drink now - 2004. Tasting notes at bottling: good sharp, balanced fruit flavors hiding behind oak, nice feel in mouth, medium to big bodied wine with raspberry and sweet alcohol flavors.
Tasted 12/04: Drinking very nicely with plenty of fresh fruit and good balance. I still like this wine a lot. 1997 Toucan Wines Chardonnay(Mannstand Vineyard, 100% Chardonnay)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Our first Chardonnay was harvested on September 24th from the Mannstand Vineyard. Measuring 24 Brix sugar, we crushed, pressed, and cooled the juice using a rebuilt heat-exchanger. Once the juice settled and was racked, half the juice was barrel fermented in new French oak and the other half was cold fermented in neutral containers. After several months in new oak, and only partially through MLF, the wine was blended back together and bottled unfiltered. 1997 Toucan Wines Late Harvest Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 100% Zinfandel - Northern Section)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The 1997 Late Harvest Zinfandel was the last fruit picked from the Benito Dusi Ranch in 1997. The fruit, which had been allocated for a customer was getting too ripe and needed to come off the ranch. Lucky for us, on October 15th we harvested a bin of beautiful Zinfandel fruit measuring 29 Brix sugar. While soaking, the sugars reached 32 Brix before fermentation. Fermentation took several weeks and the wine was placed in a new French oak barrel to age for a few months.
The resulting wine measures 17.8% alcohol and 4.0% residual sugar. This wine will take a year or two for the flavors to come together, but it's a mouthful! 1997 Toucan Wines Zinfandel Port(Benito Dusi Ranch, 85% Zinfandel & 15% Petite Sirah)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Grapes from the August 10th harvest were crushed and placed in a cold cellar for one week to "cold soak" and take in the color and other benefits from the skins and seeds. Fermentation from 25.5 Brix to 15 Brix was watched very carefully, fermentation was stopped by the addition of fortification. The resulting wine is approximately 20% alcohol with 14% residual sugar.
Tasted 12/04: Yummy is still the best word I have for this wine. Very sweet.
Tasted 3/07: Still a mouthful - I hope we can make more wine like this one. 1996 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 90% Zinfandel & 10% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The 1996 Zinfandel was harvested from the Dusi Ranch on August 23rd at 24 Brix sugar at crush. The fruit was crushed with about 25% whole berries left in the fermentation to add fresh flavors to the finished wine. The crushed juice, while soaking in the fermentation bin, collected additional sugar from the grapes resulting in a final sugar level measuring 26 Brix before fermentation.
This was our first year that natural yeast were used to complete the entire fermentation. This technique is seldom used by wineries because of the high risk that natural yeast may not complete the job. However, the reward can produce a more complex and unique wine. Fermentation started after four days and finished quickly with fermentation temperatures reaching highs of 94 degrees. The wine spent eleven months French oak barrels (50% new oak). The result is a wine with very ripened berry and wild berry flavors that are in balance with strong new French oak flavors - clearly the most interesting and unusual Zinfandel we’ve made to date.
Tasted: 12/04 Just drank our last two bottles of this wine and they were terrific. Soft, complex, with ripe fruit... drink-up. 1996 Toucan Wines Zinfandel Port(Benito Dusi Ranch, 90% Zinfandel & 10% Petite Sirah)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Grapes from the August 23rd harvest were crushed and placed in a cold cellar for four days to "cold soak". Fermentation from 25 Brix to 12 Brix was watched very carefully, fermentation was stopped by fortification. The resulting wine is approximately 20% alcohol with 11% residual sugar. 1996 Toucan Wines Pinot Noir(Moshin Vineyard, 100% Pinot Noir) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Toucan Wines 1996 Pinot Noir was our first attempt at making the very difficult Pinot Noir grape into wine. The fruit that made this wine was harvested on August 25th at 22.5 Brix sugar from the Moshin Vineyard located in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma County.
The fruit was crushed with 25% berries left whole in the fermentation. The fermentation started immediately and ended quickly with fermentation temperatures reaching highs of 86 degrees. The fermentation presented plenty of challenges and required special handling - and handling is not want you want to do when making Pinot Noir. MLF was induced with the help of special cultures that soften the wine and add interesting complexity.
This wine spent eleven months in French oak barrels (50% of which was new oak - adding just the right amount of oak flavor). The resulting Pinot Noir is medium-dark in color with a smoky-oak nose and tastes of soft berry fruit. 1995 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 80% Zinfandel and 20% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The fruit that made the 1995 Toucan Wines Zinfandel was harvested on September 9th and measured 25 Brix sugar at crush. Again, crushed with 25% whole berries left in the fermentation and then fermented over an extended period to optimize the potential for concentration and structure. The wine spent eleven months in French and American oak barrels and finished barrel aging in new French oak which added flavors and additional structure. 1994 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 100% Zinfandel - Northern Section) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The Toucan Wines 1994 Zinfandel has produced a lighter style table wine that shows of raspberry and typical Zinfandel fruit flavors balanced with light tannins. We think you’ll find this wine ready to drink now with seasonal foods. The grapes were harvested on September 9th, fermented, pressed and then spent a total of twelve months in French and American oak. 1993 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Benito Dusi Ranch, 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah) NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Our first vintage from the Benito Dusi Ranch was harvested on August 20th at 24 Brix sugar and fermented very slowly to achieve a concentrated and lush table wine.
Award Winning Wine (First Place in it's category) 10th Annual Amateur Wine Making Contest - 95' San Mateo Co. Fair 1993 Toucan Wines Late Harvest Zinfandel(Wegner Vineyard, 100% Zinfandel)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
The grapes (free for the asking) were harvested on October 17th from the beautiful Wegner Vineyard in Dry Creek, Sonoma County. The fruit in a single row was left behind, in error, from the regular harvest and due to perfect weather continued to ripen to 28 Brix sugar (soaking to 30.5 Brix before fermentation). Once fermentation was mostly complete, we pressed the wine and encouraged fermentation to continue until it naturally stopped at 16.2% alcohol with 4 % residual sugar.
Award Winning Wine (First Place in it's category) 10th Annual Amateur Wine Making Contest - 95' San Mateo Co. Fair 1992 Toucan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon(Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
Harvested on November 29th, the grapes from this famous vineyard (source of fruit for Ridge Winery) were left behind during the regular harvest because they were not yet ripe. The grapes were harvested at 26 Brix sugar, crushed, fermented, and pressed to neutral containers and French oak chips were added for additional flavor. 1992 Toucan Wines Zinfandel(Valley Vista Vineyard, Sonoma County, 100% Zinfandel)NO COMMERCIAL RELEASE
During a Sonoma winery visit and tasting weekend, we noticed that a few grapes in this famous vineyard (source of Zinfandel for Lytton Springs Winery and Ridge Winery), had been left behind after the regular harvest. The tasting room manager offered us the fruit free for the taking. After some consideration, we bought a couple of new trash containers and some clippers and went to work.
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© Toucan Wines 1992-2008
