Brutal 2023
VARIETY Sangiovese
STYLE Sparkling Arizona Red (Col Fondo Method)
BRIX at Harvest 21
PH at Harvest 3.27
LOCATION Walnut Grove, Arizona
VINEYARD Hassayampa Vineyard and Farm
SOIL TYPE Alluvial deposits of volcanic and sedimentary minerals
PRODUCTION 6.5 cases
ALCOHOL 12%
COLLAB Label art Brutal Wine Corporation
Vineyard
Hassayampa Vineyard & Farm was established in 2012 on 140 acres along the Hassayampa River near Kirkland, Arizona. The property consists of a farmstead cheese creamery, a 12 acre vineyard, a fruit and nut orchard, and several acres of pastures for their Jersey cow herd. They use sustainable grape growing practices that include Integrated Pest Management, OMRI (organic) approved pesticides, cover cropping, and minimal tillage. The Grapes
The Sangiovese grapes are grown in the high desert, 3,800 feet above sea level near the Hassayampa River. Alluvial deposits of volcanic and sedimentary minerals combined with extreme diurnal shifts of hot days and cool nights allow the grapes to preserve aromas and natural acidity.Expression
Explosive, carbonated, dry, fruity, and for those brave enough to full send an adventure.Vinification
The Sangiovese grapes were hand picked by Cecilia Garcia, Derek Christensen and Timo Geis before being transported to Arizona Stronghold in Camp Verde Arizona for vinification. The whole cluster grapes were foot tread and fermented with native yeasts until dryness before being pressed into a 100L stainless steel tank to age for 7 months.
Racked once before bottling, unfined, unfiltered with no added SO2. In order to make the finished product a sparkling wine, some must (unfermented grape juice) was frozen. Seven months later, the must was unfrozen and allowed to defrost and ferment so that it could be added to the tank of still wine. Once the fermentation began, around one gallon of fermenting must (seven percent of the total tank volume) was mixed into the tank in order to homogenize before being bottled with a crown cap that same day.
This sparkling wine method is known as col fondo, where the wine undergoes a re-fermentation in bottle but is not disgorged, which can leave it slightly cloudy from the lees (yeast particles) that are left in the bottle.