Producer: Edmunds St. John 
Region: El Dorado County, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 
Varietal: Gamay 
Year: 2019

Winemaker's Tasting Note: 

"Very similar color to the previous vintage: deep ruby. Very expressive nose, quite fresh, spicy, savory, mineral. Medium-bodied on the palate, gorgeous spicy flavors nicely focussed around ample acidity, Wonderful, lingering texture, very long, savory finish. Maybe the best yet!" 

About the Wine: 

"The 2018 red version of Bone-Jolly is much like its immediate predecessor, perhaps ever-so-slightly more so. As the vines age (Some of them are now approaching 13, conveying an authority of flavor to the wines they produce, which, if we do our work properly, will just continue to improve.) each year brings to the wine a bit more of the emerging personality of the vineyard, and the expression Gamay has to offer in its particular location. 

The growing season in 2018 was preceded by a moderately cool Winter, with rainfall only about 70% of normal. It began just a bit on the early side, and was, overall, slightly warmer through July and the first part of August, cooling down nicely toward the end, and giving the grapes a fairly smooth landing at the end of August and into very early September." 

Fruit Source: 

"Barsotti Ranch, at a bit below 3,000 feet elevation, just a little to the North and East of Placerville. The vines are grown in soil that is largely decomposed granite. 2018 was the 12^th harvest from Barsotti." 

Winemaking: 

"The Gamay we picked in 2018 at Barsotti ripened a bit more slowly than in previous years, and since pHs were, as usual, quite low, I waited just a bit longer this time around, before deciding to pick, and I think it made for a bit more tender wine, both flavor-wise and texturally. Picking began on August 31, and was completed on the 5^th of September. Grapes were picked into half-ton bins, destemmed and returned to bins to ferment; skins punched down twice daily, morning and evening. When the wine was dry, it was pressed into stainless, where it underwent spontaneous malolactic ferment, and aged on primary lees for several months before being racked in December. Bottling was done in the second week of February." 

Cases Produced: Just under 600 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Vintage date may differ than pictured.