Agraria 2013, Big Barn Red, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
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In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2013
Varietal
Cabernet Franc
Appellation
Dry Creek Valley
Vineyard Designation
Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Harvest Date
9/24/2013
Acid
6.4 g/L
pH
3.52
Aging
26 months in 50% new French oak barrels, 50% 2-year-old French oak barrels
Bottling Date
August 2022
Residual Sugar
0
Alcohol %
14.1
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Subtle forest floor aromas mingle with black fruit and
hints of toasty oak and freshly ground pepper. A velvety
entry introduces the spice-laden texture that frames
delicious dark-toned flavors. Boysenberry, cherry, black
currant, dark plum and cedar merge with hints of savory
herbs, loam and minerality. As the wine expands in the
lingering finish, traces of French roast coffee, violets,
fig and dark chocolate appear, adding to its depth and
complexity. Even with plenty of barrel and bottle aging,
the wine retains a well-toned, muscular essence.
Production Notes
We are fond of calling this our “have your cake and eat it
too” wine, meaning that it’s an incredibly rich and big wine
that is ready to enjoy when released. The combination of 26
months of barrel aging in new and 2-year-old French oak
and seven years bottle aging allows this wine to integrate the
barrel and grape tannins, forming complex, smooth flavors
and seamless, silky texture.
Winemaker Notes
Our first vintage of Agraria was in 1996 when our
Bradford Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc and Merlot
grapes were ready to harvest at the same time. Normally
these two varieties ripen 7 to 10 days apart. When we
harvested them on the same day, we found ourselves short
of fermentation tanks, so we decided to co-ferment the
Cabernet Franc and Merlot. When we tasted the wine
from barrel that winter, we were floored by the richness
and suppleness of this mountain grown Cabernet Franc/
Merlot blend. We decided to bottle some of this blend on
its own, rather than just using it as part of our Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot blends; hence the birth of Agraria.
With the 1997 vintage we realized it was the Cabernet
Franc from Bradford Mountain Vineyard that made
our Agraria blend unique. Since 1997, our Agraria is
predominantly Cabernet Franc with Merlot, and sometimes
a little Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It is
always 100% Bradford Mountain Vineyard fruit.
Food Pairing Notes
Elegant yet robust, this is a wine to pair with heartier fare
like filet mignon topped with crumbled bleu cheese, or
pan-seared duck breast with blueberry sauce served with
rosemary and thyme roasted potatoes.