Toucan Wines - Premium Estate Wines



		AWARD WINNING WINES 2009 Toucan Wines Estate Zinfandel (Toucan Vineyard, Zinfandel & 10% Petite Sirah) download fact sheet ORDER NOW 2009 in the vineyard Winter began with a lack of rain, by February both the rains and the frost had become more normal. Mid-February we completed pruning and by late March first leafing exposed early bloomers to April frosts. The 2^nd week of April brought frost to our Petite Sirah vines at the very top of the vineyard. A relatively typical spring season provided heavier growth and made for a labor intensive thinning of the vines. The growing season work included individually thinning each head-trained vine, tying loose shoots and hand hoeing the vineyard to keep weeds at bay. By July, the vineyard seemed very dry with growth slightly greater than usual, very warm days and cool refreshing nights further developed what looked to be a very good looking crop. After netting the vineyard, late August brought the beginnings of a damaging heat-wave that lasted into early September with temperatures exceeding 112 degrees during the day and unusually hot nights. The result dried some of the fruit clusters and ultimately reduced our overall yields. What we didn’t know at the time was the next two years would also bring us very unusual weather. On October 1^st we began harvesting Estate Zinfandel in small batches, and again on October 3^rd, 4^th, and 6^th. Noting a pending storm in the forecast, we picked the last of what we could on October 12^th. On the 13^th, we received 5.5 inches of rain assuring an end to the growing season. Each of the six small batches (including the Petite Sirah harvested on September 13^th) were hand harvested, crushed, cold soaked and ultimately barreled down separately. We used a blend of 60% new French and Hungarian oak and 40% second and third year barrels, allowing 24 months in barrel before bottling the Estate Zinfandel (with 10% Estate Petite Sirah) unfined and unfiltered on November 11^th of 2011. The limited production of Estate Zinfandel resulted in 240 cases. In 2009, we did not bottle an Estate Petite Sirah, however a limited amount of 2009 Estate Toucanet will be released in 2012. Balanced and well structured, our 2009 is drinking beautifully and a great full-bodied choice for any meal. Like many of our Estate Zinfandel releases, this wine drinks very nicely upon release and will age to become a favorite in your cellar. Best enjoyed 2012 - 2018 Harvest: October 1^st - 12 Bottled: November 11, 2011 Acid: .8 Alcohol: 14.7% Release: 240 cases 2008 Toucan Wines Estate Zinfandel (Toucan Vineyard, Zinfandel & 14% Petite Sirah) download fact sheet GOLD Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2011 SILVER San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2011 Orange County Wine Competition 2011 ORDER NOW 2008 in the vineyard Winter started out as rainy on the central coast with nearly record rainfall, but quickly turned dry. We began pruning in January and cut back the head-trained vines to even fewer spirs (or arms) than usual to curb some of the green growth in wetter years. A dry spring saw first bud break on March 14th and I note still no rain in weeks. In April, the vineyard suffered from a few frosty nights and several vines lost their precious young growth. Generally, growth in the Toucan Vineyard was normal in 2008, more balanced than some vintages, and the dry season yielded our first ripe fruit on September 7th and the last of the ripe fruit was picked on October 26th. The 300 Estate Petite Sirah vines were picked on September 25th The 2008 Estate Zinfandel was harvested in seven pickings, plus the Petite Sirah, and in each case cold soaked in small fermentation bins and slowly fermented. Each picking was barreled down separately in a mix of 60% new oak and 40% second and third year barrels. Partially combined once ML was completed in December, we did the final blending determined at racking in September of 2009. That final blend included 14% of Estate Petite Sirah for body, flavor and complexity. One final racking before bottling, and on March 15th, 2010 we hand-bottled 271 cases unfined and unfiltered. A separate bottling of 24 cases of the 2008 Estate Petite Sirah was also bottled from our estate vineyard. The finished wine Opulent and balanced best describe the 2008, dark and rich in color with a pop of beautiful complex fruit and a long inviting finish. Big, lush, and inviting sums up the 2008 vintage. The 2008 Estate Zinfandel is a big, opulent, complex wine that spent 16 months in mostly new French, Hungarian, and American barrels. Dark garnet/purple with a huge nose of ripe wild berry and complex fruits. Lush, ripe berry fruit welcomes your taste-buds with a core of delicious fruit. And the big full mouth-feel and long finish invites your next taste. Best enjoyed 2010 - 2016 Harvest: September 7^th - October 26th Bottled: March 15, 2010 Acid: .8 Alcohol: 15% Release: 271 cases (including 375ml and 1500ml bottles) 2008 Old Vine Carignane Evangelho Vineyard Contra Costa County download fact sheet GOLD and BEST OF CLASS Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2011 ORDER NOW Harvested from the low-yielding 120 year old vines, grown in the Evangelho vineyard in Contra Costa County. This wine was slowly fermented after a period of cold soaking and pressed to a combination of French, Hungarian and American oak barrels for 17 months. The resulting wine is a classic varietal bottling from this outstanding old vine vineyard. This wine is big and beautiful with elegant plump berry on the palate and a beautiful long finish. Elegant and drinking great right now, but consider laying down a case of this wine, as I expect it to improve with another year in the bottle. Harvest: September 5^th Bottled: April 2010 Acid: .72 Alcohol: 15.9% Release: 217 cases "Toucan Symphony" by Laurel Sherrie Brien McNally of Tam O’Shanter (July, 2011) Nose: Very jammy with blackberries, blueberries and currants. Palate: Warmly envelopes the senses with concentrated blackberry jam. Fruit forward, big and luscious, yet elegant and well-balanced, the finish is long with silky tannins. Carignane is a big, angular, very tannic varietal and this expression is a testament to superior winemaking and perfectly tended old vine grapes. A truly unique wine. 2008 Toucan Wines Estate Petite Sirah (Toucan Vineyard, 100% Petite Sirah) very limited Only 24 cased bottled - 6 bottle limit ORDER NOW 2008 in the vineyard Winter started out as rainy on the central coast with nearly record rainfall, but quickly turned dry. We began pruning in January, but unlike the Zinfandel, choose not to cut back the Petite Sirah to even fewer spirs. The vines have become so perfectly balanced that they seem to farm themselves. In April, the Petite Sirah vines suffered from a few frosty nights, but recovered to produce a full crop. In 2008, we planted an additional 50 Petite vines, scattered throughout the vineyard, and in 2010 we started a nursery of cuttings to plant in 2011. The 300 mature Estate Petite Sirah vines were picked on September 25th. The 2008 Estate Petite Sirah came into the winery perfectly, and was briefly cold soaked in small fermentation bins and slowly fermented. Once complete, the Petite Sirah was pressed to new oak barrels and more than half the volume blended with the 2008 Estate Zinfandel. We held back one barrel, which produced 24 cases, was hand-bottled on March 5th, 2010 unfined and unfiltered. The finished wine The 2008 is already drinking well, opulent, like it's Zinfandel vintage partner, this wine will develop and age well for years to come. Having spent about 16 months in new oak, this wine is an inky deep purple; with lush ripe fruits, and sweet oak. The 2008 is likely our most opulent Petite to date and for sure our most approachable at this early stage. The 2008 will be our last stand-alone Petite bottling until the 2010 releases. Harvest: September 25^th Bottled: March 5, 2010 Acid: .79 Alcohol: 13.9% Release: 24 cases 2007 Toucan Wines Estate Zinfandel (Toucan Vineyard, Zinfandel & 10% Petite Sirah) download fact sheet GOLD and BEST OF CLASS Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2010 GOLD San Diego Wine Competition 2010 ORDER NOW 2007 in the vineyard A dry and cold winter allowed us to complete pruning in January, but nights of hard-freezes for a seven day stretch damaged water lines, foliage on trees and ultimately meant the end for several vines in our vineyard. The rains never came in spring and drought conditions resulted in early stress in the vineyard forcing less established vines to give up their fruit. Vines less stressed by the loss of rain set less fruit then normal on a schedule more typical of 2004 or 2005 vintages. The clusters and the berries formed this year were both smaller and more concentrated. The consistent warmth and relatively dry weather that dominated the growing season also produced less foliage on the vines, fewer weeds and overall the yield was less than expected. Very little vine thinning was required in July to expose the fruit to sun and air-flow and as veraison started we noticed the vines slowing and starting an early seasonal shut-down. By mid August the vineyard was entirely netted and we began our wait for harvest. Harvest of small batches of Estate Zinfandel began on September 15^th through the 28^th and on September 29^th we harvested the Estate Petite Sirah. The fruit came into the winery in perfect condition with nearly identical numbers to the 2005 vintage. Several days of cold soaking led to a slow fermentation in small open bins. After a gentle pressing, we placed the wine in 60% new French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels. First racked and blended in May of 08’ and again in December, the 2007 Estate Zinfandel aged in fine oak for a total 16 months. Our 2007 Estate Zinfandel includes 10% 2007 Estate Petite Sirah and we proudly bottled 245 cases on February 10^th of 2009, unfined and unfiltered. A separate bottling of 35 cases of the 2007 Estate Petite Sirah was also bottled from our estate vineyard. The finished wine After 16 months in barrel and another year in the bottle, this wine awesome and a beautiful garnet/purple with a nose of ripe wild cherry and complex fruits. Tastes of multi-layered ripe fruits, elegant, with a back bone of fine oak. This vintage is similar to our 2005 Estate Zinfandel in style, elegance and flavor, but bolder in body and mouth-feel. Best enjoyed between 2010 - 2015 July 2010 - Warm, earthy nose of ripe, dark plum, violets, and white pepper. Rich blackberry flavors are in the foreground with excellent acid balance and softening tannins - Alan Boehmer, Suite101.com Harvest: September 15^th - 29th Bottled: February 10, 2009 Acid: .784 Alcohol: 14.7% Release: 245 cases (including 375ml, 1500ml, and 3000ml bottles) Estate Toucanet Mutage d' esprit - Sweet Dessert Wine (Toucan Vineyard, Zinfandel & Petite Sirah) download fact sheet GOLD Pacific Rim Wine Competition 2010 SILVER Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2010 ORDER NOW Our Estate Toucanet is the premier release of a wine produced from the desire to make an entirely estate based Porto styled dessert wine. This premier release is represented as a blend of three barrels from our 2007 vintage and one from our 2008 late harvested vintage - all of which have been fortified or Mutage with brandy spirits distilled from our 2006 Estate Zinfandel. As you can see, our premier release of Toucanet is the product of three great vintages from our estate vineyard and a wine made in the style of the finest age-worthy Porto dessert wines. Select estate Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, harvested from our small vineyard, once crushed, was cold soaked pre-fermentation for several days. A slow fermentation with special yeast ended with the fortification of fine brandy - Mutage d' esprit. Aged in fine oak barrels for up to 22 months, Toucanet is an incredible and lovely sweet dessert styled wine that tastes of dark sweet fruits, deep raspberry liquor, wild cherry-vanilla, and hints of mocha. Presented in 500ml traditional Porto bottles and sporting our new image of five Toucans, this wine is ready to enjoy now and will hold for up to ten years with proper storage. A few magnums and a few standard sized 750ml bottles will be available to members of the Toucan Wines Club. 302 (6 pack) cases of 500ml traditional bottles 24 bottles of 750ml traditional bottles 6 magnums 1500ml Harvest: 3 barrels 2007 & 1 barrel 2008 Bottled: July 20, 2009 Acid: .65 TA 3.38pH Alcohol: 19% Sugar: 12% LIBRARY WINES