Red Blend “Homestead”, Alexander Valley Vineyards, CA, 2020 (Wetzel family & Kevin Hall)

Homestead Red Blend celebrates winemaking in Northern Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. The 2020 is a blend of six of our favorite grapes. Each varietal adds complexity and dimension to this well balanced wine.  Winemaker Kevin Hall anchored the blend with rich, concentrated Merlot, added Zinfandel for spicy notes, Cabernet Sauvignon for elegant structure, Grenache for berry flavors, Syrah for more bright spicy flavors and floral aromatics and Mourvedre for additional texture.

 

The 2020 growing season enjoyed near-perfect growing conditions. The year began with unseasonably warm temperatures, and lower than normal rainfall. This was followed by weeks of steady daytime heat and cool evenings, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly. At harvest, the quality of the fruit was excellent with high acidity and intense flavors.

 

Each individual lot for Homestead Red Blend was picked, fermented and barrel aged separately in order to maximize complexity and broaden the flavors in the glass.