93 Wine Spectator

"Beautifully crafted, pure and focused, this is full-bodied, offering juicy, vivid blackberry and wild berry fruit, with shades of plum and black cherry that coat the palate. Long and supple on the finish. Drink now through 2014. 255 cases made." -93 Points - Wine Spectator

VINEYARD:
"Kick Ranch is owned by Dick Keenan and Kathy McNamara and has become a premier Sonoma County vineyard. Wonderfully sited on the west flank of Spring Mountain, north east of Santa Rosa, California, this 41 acre vine- yard uses sustainable viticulture practices to produce outstanding Sauvignon Blanc grapes, as well as highly sought-after Rhone varietals." -Winemaker

VINIFICATION:
Clusters were de-stemmed, 75% whole berry fermentation after a 2- to 5-day cold soak. The grapes of three syrah clones, Hermitage, 470, and 877 were combined and fermented together, after the initial cold soak, in small open-top fermentors with 3 punch- downs per day. The wine was aged 18 months with minimal intervention in a combination of both new and used French and American oak barrels. It was bottled unfiltered and unfined. -Winemaker

ESTATE:
"Since 2005, Carica Wines has been producing small lots of red and white varietals from premium Sonoma County grapes. Our wines are single-vineyard designated. The grapes for our Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Sauvignon Blanc were grown in Sonoma County, California, at a hillside vineyard known as Kick Ranch. We are very much a “hands on” winery, so our production is limited."

"In winemaking, we strive to create the highest quality wine whose characteristics reflect a sense of place. Great intensity is a hallmark of the wines we make, but never at the expense of the critical balance between fruit, acid, and tannins." -Winery