2020 Dolcetto
Tasting Notes
Our 2020 Dolcetto is a perfect example of the versatility Washington State hast to offer in growing grapes from all around the world. This medium bodied Italian varietal is food friendly and displays an abundance of concentrated red fruits with brisk acidity. Aromas of dried cranberry, crème d’ cassis, with notes of licorice. The palate is very lush with bright acidity interwoven with layers of raspberry jam and hints of fresh fig with a touch of exotic spice all leading to a silky-smooth finish that lingers on the palate.
Vineyard Designation
100% Estate Grown
Vintage Notes
The 2020 vintage will go down as a very memorable year. The growing season was exceptional with a mild winter, warm spring, and moderate summer. Bud break occurred 2 weeks earlier than normal and veraison was well ahead of schedule too. Just as we were preparing for an early start to harvest, wildfires in the Northwest created a thick cloud of smoke over Washington State. Concerns arose about exposure to smoke. Taking a cautious approach, we delayed harvest until the smoke cleared and conducted trials to determine the effect of smoke on our grapes. Fortunately, results showed no sign of smoke taint. Proximity to the source of smoke plays a big factor, and our vineyard was a long distance away. Overall, we have not seen any impact of smoke on the 2020 vintage. Another major event of this vintage was an early frost that occurred the second week of October. Our winemaking team worked tirelessly long hours leading up to the frost. By the time our vineyards had been impacted by the cold spell, our winery was stuffed with fermenting grapes and harvest was 95% complete. All remaining grapes were then hand-harvested and sorted with an optical sorter to remove any excessive M.O.G. or bad grapes. After our wines completed alcoholic fermentation, we were very pleased with the results. We at Airfield have another stunning vintage for you to enjoy. The 2020 wines showcase an abundance of ripe fruit aromatics, low tannin profiles, and exceptionally balanced finishes.
Winemaking Notes
Harvested from our Estate Vineyard’s Reserve Tier Blocks at optimal ripeness, our Dolcetto was 100% destemmed but not crushed, then sorted using our optical sorter before being pumped into a small 1-ton fermenter. After a 48-hour cold soak, the wine was warmed up and inoculated with three different yeast strains; one yeast strain for fruit aromas, one for complexity and the last to enhance the varietal’s expression. Each yeast was also carefully selected to ensure they do not compete with the other yeasts, an especially important element in making a reserve tier wine such as the Dolcetto. A mix of extraction methods were used to create a wine of balance and one that showcases the unique traits of the Dolcetto grape. These methods included gentle punch downs in the morning, then a gentle punch down in the evening. This grape can easily be over extracted, and our main goal was to have a gentle approach to avoid this. Fermented dry on the skins lasting about 16 days with temperatures closely monitored as to not exceed 86 degrees. After fermentation was complete the grapes were sent to the press for a gentle pressing, then sent directly to French Oak barrels and inoculated for Malo-lactic Fermentation. Once Malo-lactic fermentation was completed the wines lees were stirred twice a month for three months. This process created a rounder mouthfeel while naturally softening the wine. This wine was aged in 10% New French Oak and 90% Neutral French oak for 18 months. The use of neutral French oak creates the perfect balance for this wine, allowing the exotic aromatics to be the star of the show and not deterring them from the presence of oak.
Food Pairing
Antipasto - Prosciutto to Spicy Coppa with Burrata or Taleggio
Slow-Roasted Black Cod with Red Chermoula
Ground Lamb and Shallot Kebabs with Pomegranate Molasses
Gnocchi in a light tomato sauce tempered with cream
- Varietal Composition: 100% Dolcetto
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging / Barrel Program: 100% neutral French oak for 18 months
- Cases Produced: 56
- Alcohol: 14.4%
- pH: 3.47
- Acidity: 6.4 g/L
- Ageability: Enjoy Now through 2033 with optimal maturity around 2027.