La Clarine Farm Funky Drummer Red Blend 2017

The Funky Drummer is sourced entirely from Cedarville Vineyard in El Dorado County, where Syrah, Grenache, and Counoise grow on decomposed granite soils at roughly 2,500 feet elevation. The fruit was harvested in two separate picks: Syrah came in first, followed by the Grenache and Counoise. The Grenache and Counoise were co-fermented together, then blended into the Syrah at pressing.

All three varieties were whole-cluster fermented with ambient yeast, then aged in a combination of tank and small barrel. No temperature control. The finished wine comes in at 12.5% ABV, a direct result of the high-elevation site and Hank Beckmeyer's preference for picking before sugars climb too high.

The blend breaks down as 69% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 6% Counoise. The Syrah provides the structural backbone; the Grenache adds lift and red fruit; the Counoise, a southern Rhone blending grape prized for its high acidity and peppery spice, acts as a brightening agent, tightening the finish and extending the aromatic profile without asserting itself as a dominant note.

La Clarine Farm farms organically and without additions during fermentation, adding only a minimal dose of sulfur at bottling.