The Sarah’s Vineyard Madonne is our local effort to emulate the traditional red wines of the southern Rhône Valley. It is a blend of estate grown, Rhône red varieties – in this case, primarily Grenache. Our estate vineyards bridge the historic Santa Clara Valley and the cooler climate “Mt. Madonna” district of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains. Here fog and winds from nearby Monterey Bay dramatically cool down the estate, extending the growing season and providing unique conditions for complex Rhône cultivars.
The ’21 Madonne displays a rich dark fruit presence full of dark cherry, blackberry, and blueberry along with savory notes of leather, clove, and cocoa powder with a peppery finish. The estate Madonne will pair perfectly with the enclosed recipe for birria tacos.
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark intense fruit aromas are bold but not overdone on the nose of this blend of 76% Grenache, 16% Syrah and 8% Mourvèdre, which also shows earth and fennel elements. The palate is layered in fig, date, clove and star anise flavors, proving quite complex. — Matt Kettmann
