Composition
70% Grenache - Heritage & Alban Clone
28% Mourvèdre - Clone 369
2% Syrah - Clone 174
Winemaking Notes
Dentelle de Fer, French for iron lace, is our second Chateauneuf du Pape style red wine after Chemin de Fer, and represents our continued exploration of artful blends made with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre planted decades ago and nurtured to this day on our organically farmed estate.
The delicate aromas of red plum, herbes de Provence and lavender, are hallmarks of our estate Grenache. The elegant Alban clone of Grenache is intricately layered with Mourvèdre and Syrah. Its silky palate melds brambly strawberry notes with cocoa and anise. Structured yet delicate, it is a true expression of iron lace.
94 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck
Vineyard Notes
Our original estate was an enclave for the earliest French winemakers in California in the 1890s. 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 stone's 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.
Label Artwork
The back label of each wine in our artwork series is graced with a commissioned work of art from Dennis Ziemienski, that tells the unique story of the wine.
Dentelle de Fer is French for iron lace, named so in honor of the wine's delightful balance of structure and delicacy.
In keeping with the train theme of the artwork for our original Rhône blend (Chemin de Fer), Dentelle de Fer's artwork features the caboose of a narrow-gauge steam train with its beautiful iron lace balcony, weaving through our estate vineyards.