Robert Biale 'Basic Black' Red 2018

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast

Notes from the Winemaker

THE CLASSIC FASHION STATEMENT 
This phenomenal red wine blend has been in the works for years and is the most complex and captivating wine we make. Working for decades now with old field blend vineyards, we have come to appreciate the magic of co-fermentation. That is, combining multiple grapes together at harvest in the vat in order for them to ferment together. It’s an old-world idea, kind of like letting all the ingredients of the stew simmer together rather than adding them at the end. This approach is gaining more and more interest among serious 
winemakers, especially for those working with Zinfandel field blends. For years it has been a goal of ours to find the right proportions of different fruit from different sites in order to produce a new Biale blend that displays the best of everything. This landmark 2018 wine is a co-fermented reserve blend of 26% Grenache, 22% Alicante Bouschet, 16% Early Burgundy, 10% Zinfandel, 8% Syrah, 8% Carignan, 6% Tempranillo, and 4% Petite Sirah.  
Vintage Notes: Seamless season of heavenly hangtime and phenomenal phenolic development. February saw abundant rains, followed by lots of filtered light in spring and early summer. Both bud break and flowering occurred a bit late, but under ideal weather conditions, creating a plentiful and even fruit set. Summer brought generous sun during the day and cooler marine influences, virtually uninterrupted by major heat spikes. The relatively mild summer followed by extended fall sunshine and moderate heat created near
ideal conditions for winemakers to allow their fruit to accumulate flavor complexity with gradual increases in sugar levels. Volume is looking great, up 20-30% increase over average crop quantity.  

Harvest Dates: 9-20-18 to 9-23-18 
Winemaking: The individual lots of multiple varietals coming from multiple vineyards were added together in one tank for a co-fermentation. The must was cold soaked at 50 ° F for 4 days until the last lot was ready for harvest and added in. At this time, the must was inoculated with a commercial yeast strain. Fermentation was complete after 14 days in an open top tank with two to three punch downs per day for color and tannin extraction. Maximum fermentation temperature was 86 ° F. The wine was lightly pressed to 30% new 
Burgundy oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation was completed in barrels. The wine was aged in barrels for 17 months. 
Alcohol: 14.8% 
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes:  A complex wine with many layers. The 2018 Basic Black has a dark fruit profile with aromas of blackberry, sarsaparilla, cocoa, wild iris, and earthy undertones. Flavors of dark chocolate and dark fruits are integrated with big mid palate tannins which lead to a long age worthy finish.  

 Cases produced: 628