Vineyard Notes: Gary Gonsalves farms about 100 acres of grapes in Contra Costa County, many of them 100+ year old plantings of intermixed Carignane, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Grenache & Alicante Bouschet, among others. Horse Ranch Vineyard lies within the city of Antioch, less than a mile from the famous Evangelho Vineyard & on the same dry sandy soil. It is a mixture of Mourvedre, Carignane & Alicante Bouschet planted around the turn of the 20th century.

Cellar Notes: We brought in 3 tons of this fruit & destemmed it to 3 open-top bins with no additions. The must was left to ferment with native yeasts, which took approximately 12 days. The wine was pressed to tank, allowed to settle, then barreled to 7 neutral oak barrels on 10/24/23, where it matured with regular topping until April 2025. The wine was bottled unfiltered & minimally sulfured on 4/9/25.

Tasting Notes: Typically boisterous on the nose, this wine displays dagonfruit, raspberry, bubblegum & cola aromas. The palate is racy, with a smoothness that enhances the bright red fruits.