2022 Siletto Vineyard Cabernet Pfeffer, San Benito County

Ron Siletto, a longtime icon of San Benito Viticulture, is the primary source of Cabernet Pfeffer in San Benito County, where the variety is grown, and nowhere else in the world. In France it’s known as Mourtaou/Mancin, an old variety from Bordeaux. There are less than 20 acres of it in the world. This block of Cabernet Pfeffer at Siletto was planted in 1992 and the cuttings came from the old El Gabilan vineyard in the Cienega Valley. These vines are trained very tall on a west facing ridge just south of the town of Tres Pinos.

Winemaking

The grapes were picked by hand on September 12th, 2022. At the winery the grapes were given 17 days of 50 percent whole cluster/destemmed maceration in redwood fermenters to extract tannins, aroma, and flavor compounds in the skins via once daily pumpovers. About one third of the crop was destemmed completely. After pressing and settling, the wine was racked into old barrels for 10 months elevage on fine lees. Racked to tank a month prior to bottling we ever use is sulfur. Bottled August 5th, 2023. 265 cases produced.

Wine Stats

Brix at harvest: 22.0

Titratable Acidity: 6.5 g/L

pH: 3.75

Residual Sugar: 0.0 g/L

Alcohol: 12.9%