Tower Road

Preseason rainfall was higher than normal in 2019. Total degree growing days were comparable to the past several vintages. We normally see slightly later budbreak in wet years, as was the case in 2019. This delays the phenological stages for the entire vintage, including bloom, veraison, and harvest, which worked to our advantage in 2019. A large canopy developed during the spring, providing shading and relief for the sun-sensitive Petite Sirah grapes through the late summer heat spikes. We harvested Petite Sirah in mid-October with good uniform ripeness and unprecedented levels of anthocyanin pigments in the young wines. We employed Grenache Noir in the blending stage, as it intensifies the beautiful red fruit aromas and gives length to the mid-palate. We also added 1% each of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier, which lend subtle floral notes.