Composition
81% Grenache - Clones Alban, Old Hill, 136, 224, 287, & 362
10% Mourvèdre - Clones 369 & 520
9% Syrah - Clone 174
Winemaking Notes
Chemin de Fer is French for railroad, and is a blend of estate grown Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, inspired by our love of trains and our travels through Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the South of France. This is one of our founding wines and holds a special place in our hearts.
Deep garnet in color, this wine is aromatic with raspberry and spice. Its mouth-watering palate offers black and red berry flavors with a hint of cocoa, that harmonize with supple tannins over a long finish.
94 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck
Vineyard Notes
Justi Creek Vineyards is our original estate property, located at our winery in Glen Ellen, which was an enclave for the earliest French winemakers in California in the 1890's. Under the care of the Lasseters, it has been painstakingly restored and reimagined with great attention to detail, and is the site of a small, eco-friendly, state-of-the-art winery.
This site benefits from being a warmer area within the valley, but also the narrowest section, resulting in a funnel that concentrates the cool ocean breezes and creates huge diurnal shifts that allow for long hang time and full flavor development with good acid retention.
The Creekside Blocks sit along the east side of Calabazas Creek. With rocky soils over an alluvial fan, they hold the original planting of red Rhône varieties on the property: Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. More recent plantings in the Train Block and Crescent Oaks Block, include Semillon along with additional Mourvèdre and Grenache vines all planted in goblet style.
Stones Throw is the most recently acquired of the Lasseter vineyards and is named for its proximity to Justi Creek Vineyards. This site, just a Stones Throw from our original vineyards, is a natural addition to our estate, given the similar soil types and microclimate. It is being developed to red Rhône Varieties.