winemaker notes: "The 2009 Lithic is a blend of 42% Grenache, 34% Mourvedre, and 24% Syrah – all coming from Ann Kraemer’s incredible Shake Ridge Vineyard, which is situated at 1700’ in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County. With extraordinary Sierra uplift soils - loaded with quartz, basalt, soapstone, and shale - and farmed to perfection, this vineyard always makes wines of great purity, richness, and minerality. The Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah blocks are all on rock-filled slopes with excellent exposure and drainage. The blocks were harvested for optimal ripeness and combined into small co-fermented wine lots, each with a different percentage of whole cluster grapes. The wine was aged in once-used and neutral French Demi Muids for 18 months before being bottled without fining or filtration. The aromatics are layered with blackberry, roasted meat, bittersweet chocolate, gunflint, and lavender. The sweet blackberry entry opens to more dark chocolate, blueberry, black pepper, crushed rocks, garrigue – all backed by plush, broad, mouth-filling tannins."

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