2017 “Hill of Thunder” Shake Ridge Ranch Vineyard Red - T-Vine Winery

Wild blackberry, dried bay leaf, stemmy red cherry. Heirloom fig, green peppercorn, dehydrated strawberry. Ground up violet and bougainvillea, gnarled sagebrush and spring briar. Tart boysenberry, ripe red plum, and peach skin muddle with bramble, anise, and oregano in a masculine medley of succulent fruit and herbs. A soft impression of rose emerges yet hardly distracts from beautiful and almost spicy organic character felt as petrified wood, tobacco, and dried chilis. Parched earth and fractured stone round out the attack with an iron-rich earthy underpinning that finishes quite rugged and rustic. Full bodied with medium tannin and slightly elevated acidity; brimming with characterful complexity and classic old-western charm. This 2017 "Hill of Thunder" Shake Ridge Ranch Vineyard Red by T-Vine Winery is a unique, delicious, and personality-filled blend from one of Amador County's most interesting vineyards.

Planted on the slopes of California's Sierra Foothills at over 1700 feet of elevation, Shake Ridge Ranch has emerged as one of Amador County's greatest vineyard sites. It’s unique combination of aspects, exposures, and soils create a diverse range of microclimates within the 46 acre property that allow for an exciting selection of grape varieties to flourish. This bottling, crafted by T-Vine Winery using a blend of Primitivo, Zinfandel, and Barbera sourced from Shake Ridge, is an excellent example of the potential of this world-class site. It possesses a gorgeously complex fruit profile that manages both lean power and restraint, and its unique herbal rhythms differentiate it noticeably from typical Zinfandel bramble. This wine is exceptionally well balanced with great energy and freshness throughout. Another spectacular creation by T-Vine, who has become one of our favorite producers of authentically Californian reds.