2016 Firestone Vineyard The Chairman Series Lineage, Santa Ynez Valley
Aromas of vanilla, toasty oak, and baking spices linger on the smooth finish. Its balanced tannins and acid make it perfect for pairing with strong, salty cheese.
Winemaker Notes
The Chairman Series Lineage is composed of some of our best vineyard lots throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. This accounts for its tremendous complexity. This 2014 bottling is alluring and sophisticated, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot making up the final blend. Memorably lush aromas of black cherry, spiced plum, violets and cedar with flavors of cocoa, espresso and clove fill the glass. The palate has an impressive tannin-acid structure, making this an age-worthy wine. Notes of vanilla, toasty oak and baking spices linger on the smooth finish.
Composition
52% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 13% Malbec
Wine Specs
Vintage
2016
Varietal
Red Blends
Acid
6.7 g/L
pH
3.69
Aging
24 months in French, Hungarian, American oak; 25% new
Bottling Date
August 8, 2018
Alcohol %
14.5
Production Notes
2016 was another vintage of both high quality and quantity of fruit. We had an early bud break, which
began in the third week of February, and a warm spring that led to slightly earlier bloom. Summer temperatures were mild and warm resulting in a good fruit set and average yields. We harvested all the fruit on August 23, 2016 - the earliest harvest to date - in cool temperatures to ensure cold fruit at pressing.
Vineyard Notes
The Santa Ynez Valley is located just two hours north of Los Angeles and five hours south of
San Francisco, adjacent the cold Pacific Ocean. With the greatest concentration of wineries in Santa Barbara County
- roughly 18% of its total land planted to vineyards - it is among the favorite weekend destinations for wine
aficionados in the Central Coast region.