Dunaweal Vineyard Pegaso Red Wine
Calistoga, Napa Valley

Clos Pegase Dunaweal Vineyard Pegaso

Wine Stats


Vintage: 2008
Variety: 60% Zinfandel, 40% Petit Sirah
Vineyard: 100% Dunaweal Vineyard (Calistoga)
Soil: sandy clay-loam
Harvest Date: October 2-8
Aging: 16 months in 17% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.9%
T.A.: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.56
Residual Sugar: 1.31 g/L
Bottled: May 2010
Cases: 585
Optimal Drinking: 2011-2016


Tasting Notes

Intense and deep aromas of freshly crushed blackberries, ripe French plums and fig jam dominate the nose, with complex baker's spice, toasted brioche and incense undertones added from French oak barrels. The entry provides oodles of hedonistic fruit framed by a dense and rich mouthfeel, refreshing level of balanced acidity and fine grained tannins. The bold and spicy fruit flavors linger on the palate with tremendous length of finish.

Vineyard & Vintage Notes

A third consecutive winter of low rainfall started the 2008 season. Budbreak was slightly later than average, with most signs of green growth not showing until the first week of April, rather than the more typical March. The interval was short before the commencement of the flowering and fruit set period in late May, punctuated by a heat spell in the high 90s and brisk winds. The warmth certainly encouraged fruit‐set, and all varieties were completed in less than ten days after bloom, giving great consistency to the individual berry development. Summer in 2008 was undoubtedly hot, with multiple heat spikes over 100 degrees. The harvest commenced with a bang after a heat wave in late August/early September though the weather then moderated to a long and mild fall. Moderate crop levels in both Zinfandel and Petite Sirah were achieved through judicious early cluster thinning, producing wines of magnificent concentration.

Winemaking Notes

After crushing and primary fermentation, the individual varieties were pressed to barrels in late October to complete the malolactic fermentation. Each component was racked from barrel to tank once following malolactic fermentation, which served to clarify and freshen these young wines. The individual wine lots were then returned to barrels to complete aging, with monthly topping to replenish the 'Angel's Share' lost to evaporation in our caves. The final blend was racked to tank in April 2010 just prior to bottling.

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