Wines by Vintage
2006 Wines
Vintage Notes
During the winter of 2005/2006 we received an average amount of rainfall, most occurring later in the season. The importance of rain is always evident in the spring with an even, healthy budbreak in the vineyard. Pruning commenced in January and was completed by the middle of March. At the end of May, our vineyards saw another 1.5inches of rain; this happens once every 25 years in Paso Robles.
In the wake of a cool spring, bloom occurred about two weeks later than normal, finishing in the middle of June. A period of high temperatures in early July, were our first indicators of the long, dry summer that followed. Our vineyard crews were busy during the month of August as they worked through each of our vineyards by hand in order to thin shoots, work on shoot positioning, leaf removal and green harvest.
For Vina Robles, harvest officially started on September 4th with our ROSEUM 2006! We picked Syrah, and for the first time, Grenache grapes for our summer wine. Shortly thereafter, we brought in Syrah for our RED4 and the Syrée. Harvest continued on with the Petite Sirah from our Jardine Vineyard, Petit Verdot from our Huerhuero Vineyard and Zinfandel from the Westside. Lastly, the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were picked at the end of October, completing our 2006 harvest.
Just prior to harvest we purchased an Italian-made Diemme basket press. It is a modern, high-tech stainless steel variation of the classic wooden basket press. This new equipment enables Winemaker Matthias Gubler to fine tune our small lot winemaking and to enhance quality through gentle, balanced pressing of our red grapes. The 2006 harvest went well and we are very pleased with the excellent quality of this year’s fruit.
By November most wines were in French and American oak barrels for an ageing period of up to 16 months. We look forward to bottling our 2006 Roseum in December, for release in February 2007.
2006 Chardonnay
Edna Ranch
A brilliant straw color with aromas of lush ripe fruits, pineapple, citrus and apple pie with warm barrel spices. Lush and rounded on the palate with flavors of baked apples, pear and cinnamon with hints of tropical fruits; a fresh, clean finish.
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Jardine Vineyard
Brilliant pale straw in color with aromas of fresh apple, pear, hints of bergamot, honeydew melon and lychee. This wine is medium-bodied with creamy, round texture, and flavors of pineapple, yellow peach and citrus; refreshing with well balanced acidity.
2006 Roseum
Huerhuero Vineyard
A wonderful, dark coral colored wine. Aromas of wild strawberries, watermelon, and kiwi fruit. Floral notes of lilies and rose petals. The vibrant, crisp acidity results in a refreshing wine with a long, clean finish.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Huerhuero Vineyard
Deep, dark cherry red, with flavors of sweet oak, intense dark fruit with notes of blueberry and undertones of tobacco. A full-bodied, supple Cabernet Sauvignon with intense fruit and ripe tannins; balanced with a long finish.
2006 Petite Sirah
Jardine Vineyard
Deep, inky garnet with intense aromas of blackberry and blueberry fruit; notions of incense and earth. Black cherry flavors with cedar and sweet oak components, a soft and luscious texture supported by young healthy tannins and balanced acidity.
2006 RED4
Huerhuero Vineyard
Dark violet, blue with intense aroma of ripe, sweet fruit; notes of plum and cherry with spice and toasty oak. A well structured wine with fresh and fruity notes; blackberry and ripe cherry.
2006 Signature
Dark, saturated garnet with intense aromas of dark fruit, including notes of blueberry, preserved fruits and all spice complimented by toasty oak. This is a full-bodied wine, concentrated on the palate, supple with a lush mouth feel; complex and refined tannins; primary flavors of blueberry and blackberry with hints of tobacco and a long finish.
2006 Suendero
Dark garnet in color. This well-structured wine unfolds with notes of wild strawberry, black currant and blackberry, in addition to vanilla and coconut aromas from the oak barrels. The dark fruits re-emerge on the palate with blueberry and fresh black raspberry dominating, as well as oregano and green peppercorn supported by toasted oak tannins and a balancing acidity that provides a long finish.
2006 Syrah
Ryan Road
Deep garnet red, with rich and velvety texture, dark cherries; powerful tannins balanced by ripe fruit with a long finish.
2006 Syrée
Deep, ripe cherry red with aromas of dark blackberry with bitter sweet chocolate and charcoal overtones. Rich on the tongue with spice, sweet oak and cedar flavors; finishes with ripe, firm tannins.
2006 Zinfandel
Deep purple, very intense with effusive nose of red and black berry fruits, bramble and spice. Big, full-bodied and packed with intense, sweet, ripe fruit; this wine has wonderful flavors of raspberry jam, white chocolate, spice and plum; the fruit is supported by ripe fine tannins and has a long pleasant finish.