2012 Dolce Mio Figlio

We took a small portion of that fruit and made a sweet wine using a centuries-old method of fortifying fermenting juice to create a “vin doux naturel”, a “naturally sweet wine”. Banyuls, Rivesaltes, Beaumes de Venise and the most famous of the genre, Port, are vin doux naturel. Grapes destined for vin doux naturel begin life as other red wines do: sorted, crushed and skins/juice/seeds combined in fermenters. Shortly after fermentation begins, 2-4 days in and after 30-40% of the sugar had been consumed by yeast, we added a precisely-calculated amount of neutral grape spirits. This immediately raised the alcohol level of the must to 19-20%, killed the yeast and stopped fermentation. This also protected the remaining sugar from further fermentation and preserved the rich intensity of fresh fruit. By that point the wine had turned fabulously spiced and purple black having absorbed all the flavor and pigment from the grapes. After gentle pressing the wine was matured for two years in a single neutral French oak barrel (there’s not much of it!) and recently bottled.

We’re thrilled with the result, a dense, rich, jam packed dessert wine based on Washington Syrah, with so many of the characteristics of Port: black-purple color, a heady, intense aroma, balanced sweetness, a range of spices and black fruits, and that a structure that lingers long and vivid. We kept our “family” tradition alive when we named it, this time applying an affectionate Italian name, Dolce Mio Figlio, “My Sweet Son”. Available in 500 mls bottles only, it’s one of those dessert wines that is impossible to keep your hands off of, but will evolve in the cellar for years to come.