2011 SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICAL WINE COMPETITION

January 12th, 2011

2009 COUNOISE – DOUBLE GOLD
100% Counoise.  As a great blending component, this varietal often goes unnoticed. However, this vintage produced a wine of such high quality that it warranted being bottled as a stand-alone variety. This medium-bodied wine is multi-dimensional with layers of spice, toasted oak, dark cherry, and plum. It has soft tannins, an elegant structure, and exceptional balance. It pairs well with chicken, turkey, slow-cooked meats, and creamy pasta dishes.

• Silver Medal, 2010 Tri-Cities Wine Festival

$28  (This limited release is only available to Airfield Wine Club Members.)

2008 MERLOT – GOLD
100% Merlot.  This complex, concentrated Merlot captivates the senses with intense flavors of dark berry and plum. Low yielding vines and extended barrel aging have brought forth supple tannins and a full-bodied mouthfeel creating a balance that can hold its own against hearty meats, yet it pairs perfectly with pasta.

• 90 Points, Wine Advocate
• Silver Medal, 2010 NW Food & Wine Festival

$22 BUY ONLINE

2009 TEMPRANILLO – GOLD
100% Tempranillo.  This red wine will surely captivate the senses. It showcases succulent, ripe flavors of boysenberry and blueberry. Upon entry, it exhibits a smooth, round, mouthfeel with a striking balance. On the finish, the tannins take hold and linger on the tongue. This wine is traditionally paired with Spanish style dishes. It is a good match for flavorful grilled meats, spicy foods, and medium hard to hard cheeses.

$20  BUY ONLINE

2009 MUSTANG – SILVER
61% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 7% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre, & 2% Cousoise.  This Rhone style red blend lends complexity to both the nose and the palate. Concentrated flavors of cherry emerge with underlying hints of white pepper and toasted oak. Yielding velvety tannins and a smooth, well-balanced finish, this wine pairs impeccable with grilled meats, wild game, robust cheeses, and rich flavored pastas.

$25  (Please email info@airfieldwines.com for ordering information.)

2008 AVIATOR – SILVER
This complex blend has a rich bouquet of dark berries, spice and vanilla bean. Well structured tannins frame the way for flavors of boysenberry and black cherry to disperse across the palate. Enjoy this rich blend with pheasant, braised meats, and hard cheeses.

• 92 Points, Wine Advocate
• Best of Class, 2010 Tri-Cities Wine Festival
• Bronze Medal, 2010 NW Food & Wine Festival

$30  BUY ONLINE

2009 UNOAKED CHARDONNAY
Crisp, dry, and refreshing with aromas of honeysuckle, melon, and tropical fruit, this 100% stainless steel fermented Chardonnay showcases authentic varietal characteristics. Citrus flavors engage the palate with a round, lively mouthfeel and a lingering finish. This wine is enjoyable on its own or pairs nicely with seafood and pan-Asian cuisine.

• Outstanding, 2010 Seattle Wine Awards
• Excellent, Wine Press Northwest (Fall 2010)
• Silver Medal, 2010 Tri-Cities Wine Festival
• Silver Medal, 2010 NW Food & Wine Festival
• Bronze, Sunshine & Wine Competition
• 87 Points, Wine Advocate

$12  BUY ONLINE

Posted in Accolades, Aviator, Counoise, Merlot, Mustang, Tempranillo, Unoaked Chardonnay, Wine Competition

First Reds in the House!

September 23rd, 2009

Today was the first day of reds for harvest 2009 here at Airfield Estates.  With Dolcetto and Tempranillo paving the way.  These two varietals are demonstrating amazing flavors and we have high high hopes for the wines that they will produce.  Listen below as Marcus provides a recap of the day and stay tuned for more fruit hitting the crush pad!

Tags: Airfield Estates, Dolcetto, Harvest, Marcus Miller, Tempranillo
Posted in Harvest, Tempranillo, Wine Grapes

Tempranillo Harvest

October 1st, 2008

We harvested the Tempranillo grapes on Friday, September 26th. A vineyard crew of approximately thirty people handpicked them in the early hours of the morning.

The grapes were then transported to the winery and loaded onto a sorting table to remove leaves and any unripe bunches. Then the grapes were de-stemmed and placed into small stainless-steel open fermenters.

Primary fermentation was initiated the following day when the grape must was innoculated with a select strain of yeast (BM45). Fermentation will occur over the next 8 to 10 days. During this time, punch-downs will be performed at least 3 times a day. This process helps enrich the color, flavor, and astringency of the wine.

Tempranillo is a wine grape that we have only been growing for a few years, but we believe that it has a lot of potential in the Yakima Valley. Tempranillo grapes tend to do well in a high desert environment where grapes experience warm days and cool nights and receive little precipitation. It makes a rather full-bodied red, high in tannins with fruit-forward flavors of plum and cherry mixed with earthy undertones.

The Tempranillo grape variety originated in Spain, and to this day it is one of Spain’s most popular red varieties. The word Tempranillo stems from the Spanish word temprano, which means early. Tempranillo is an early ripening grape. It is always one of the first grapes we harvest.

Because Tempranillo ripens early and is full of flavor, it is also one of the birds’ favorite varieties to peck. To prevent bird damage, we keep our entire Tempranillo vineyard under netting.

Tags: 2008, crush, grapes, Harvest, Tempranillo
Posted in Harvest, Tempranillo