2007 Glos Anastasis McDowell Vineyards
This very special wine is called “ANASTASIS” because it underwent a resurrection in the cellar, under the most unlikely conditions.
The wine did not ferment well—it stunk with sulfides from nearly the beginning. We suspected excess sulfur from the vineyard; the Mcdowell family confirmed this supposition when they told us that they were replacing their old and unreliable spray rig with a new one for 2008.
We took the wine out of its half-barrel at the beginning of harvest 2008 because we needed the uncommon barrel for other wines—like the 2008 glos. But the still stinky 2007 wine was too precious to simply throw away. Maybe we would hide it in the 2008 Naucratis. We put it in a 30 gallon stainless steel keg to protect it, sealed the keg, and forgot about it. This Spring, in preparation for bottling, we inventoried and inspected all of the kegs, discovered the sad orphan, opened the keg, and tasted beautiful, strong wine. No more stink. The wine had aged in a somewhat strange and severe way— it is somewhat brown despite the protection of the keg, acid is emphasized, nut and herb aromas dominate. There was no surface yeast, but the wine is very sherry-like. The wine arose, transformed.
About 14 cases hand-bottled by johanna and graeme.