Hames Valley is one of the most perfect places on earth to grow top-quality Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. It is situated just north of the San Luis Obispo county line and lies at the foot of the Santa Lucia Range in a Region IV growing climate with just the right amount of sunshine hours to achieve optimal flavor development. The soils of the estate Hames Valley Vineyard are Lockwood shaly loam, with fragments of broken rock that create fracture lines for the vine roots to penetrate deeply. The climate of Hames Valley is uniquely characterized by a very wide diurnal range with a day-to-night temperature variation of up to 50°F.
After night-harvesting the grapes in Hames Valley, they were brought to the winery, destemmed, crushed, and fermented at about 80°F. Daily pumpovers were performed to extract optimal flavor and color, then at dryness, the must was pressed, settled, and racked clean for aging on American and Hungarian oak. To retain varietal character, each lot was fermented and aged separately prior to blending.
Very Dark Red—the name speaks for itself. VDR is a non-traditional proprietary red blend headlined by a rare combination of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot – two grape varietals known for their extraordinarily deep violet hues, concentrated flavors, and full-bodied profiles. Big and bold, it’s also has layered complexity, lush mouthfeel, supple tannins with a smooth, lingering finish.