90 Connoisseurs Guide to Wine

"44% Grenache; 36% Syrah; 20% Mourvedre. Its cepage may be a bit different than that of its precursor, but the results are same as far as fruity richness and careful winemaking are concerned, and Miro's latest takes its place at the head of the pack and recalls the vibrant fruit and spicy complexities of its Southern Rhone cousins. If slightly less tannic, it is still a bit rough and ragged at the edges, but what is already a good thing is very much bound to be better still some three or four years down the line as it smoothes out." -90 points Connoisseurs Guide to Wine

WINE:
"My goal was to create a distinctive, yet accessible GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend. I've always had a special preference for the great wines of Southern France and with this inaugural release I'm offering my California version of this style."

"The wine is seductively inviting with a nose of jammy strawberries, plums, hint of apricots, dry rose petals and exotic spices. The mouthfeel is viscous and juicy but not heavy, finishing long and balanced with soft tannins and low acidity." -Winery

VINEYARDS:
"The grapes are grown on Montelago Vineyard planted between 2000 and 2400 feet elevation above the largest lake in California- Clearlake. This gorgeous vineyard has a sun-rich south facing exposure. The soil is brick red volcanic cinders and pumice-like gravel and stones. In general, low fertility with high level of calcium and potassium."

"Grenache was the first to ripen on September 30, followed by the Syrah and lastly the Mourvedre at the end of October. All lots were picked very early in the morning at temperatures near 40 degrees Fahreinheit in small containers to prevent the grapes from bruising and oxidation. The fruit was gently destemmed and sorted by hand for whole berry fermentation. The wine was fermented in small tanks and gently punched down by hand. Then the tanks were directly pressed without the use of pumps for gentle extraction and only the free run juice was collected. Following malolactic fermentation, the wines were aged separately for 12 months and for an additional 4 months after blending." -Winery

WINERY:
"Born and raised in northern Bulgaria, a region with many millennia of winemaking history, Miro (Miroslav) Tcholakov was exposed to wine and winemaking at a very early age. His grandfather had long made the family supply of wine. As a boy, Miro was at his side during all phases of the process. After completing his mandatory military service, he attended the Higher Institute of Agriculture in Plovdiv where he studied viticulture and enology. Soon after graduation, in the summer of 1990, he was chosen from hundreds of candidates to participate in an international exchange program in agriculture set up by The Future Farmers of America. After a few months in Napa, he was taken on as harvest intern at Sonoma County's Dry Creek Vineyard. What was supposed to be a temporary harvest job turned into a nine-year position moving through the ranks from Cellar Master to Assistant Winemaker in 1997. In 1998 Miro went to work as Winemaker for Trentadue Winery, which is still his 'day job.' In addition to bringing more acclaim to the winery by creating world class award-winning wines, Miro's duties include overseeing many custom crush operations for some renowned winemaker clients." -Winery