La Croce 2023

Stolpman’s Super Tuscan Co-Ferment
When consultant Alberto Antonini first came to the vineyard in January of 2001, he was shocked to hear that we enjoy the coincidence of Syrah and Sangiovese ripening together.  Alberto had dreamt of such a parallel his entire career in Italy.  More specifically, he thought co-fermenting red-hued, high-strung Sangiovese with dark, savory Syrah would create the benchmark for all Super Tuscan blends to follow.  But in Italy, Alberto found that Syrah ripened a month ahead of Sangiovese, rendering his dream impossible.
We prefer to co-ferment grapes rather than blending finished wine because the elements of each varietal integrate together through the process of fermentation. Primary flavor traits develop during the first portion of fermentation, and if that development happens with varietals already combined, the wine will be markedly different than trying to blend separate lots later.  Of course, the reason few modern winemakers employ co-fermentation is the inherent lack of control.  La Croce is truly vineyard-crafted.
Alberto turned out to be right.  After our first stab at co-fermenting Sangiovese and Syrah in 2001, we were hooked.  In 2004 we planted three clones of high-density Sangiovese along a ridgeline surrounded on either side with Syrah.  Sangiovese trails behind Syrah in ripening, so we give it all-day sunshine on the hilltop while each Syrah block only receives partial-day direct exposure on either hillside.
Healthy late winter and early spring rainfall delayed bud break by a few weeks. Summer weather remained moderate and luckily, we experienced a warmer than usual October that pushed the vines through the finish line of peak ripeness.  La Croce’s harvest on November 8th and 9th was one of the latest on record.
2023 La Croce exudes a bordelaise sense of class and polish on the nose.  A tight rim of red fruit quickly dissolves into dark tarry aromas.  With just a few swirls, red fruit begins to unfurl and billow out of the glass growing thicker and dominating the refined darker notes.  In the mouth the wine delivers a chewy, full body flashing carnal and feral sparks, hinting at more excitement to come. Plenty of tannin keep the soiree in check and quietly sophisticated for now.   By 2033, this wine will be an absolute banger.