Dunaweal Vineyard Pegaso Red Wine
Calistoga, Napa Valley

Clos Pegase Napa Valley Pegaso

Wine Stats


Vintage: 2009
Variety: 54% Syrah, 37% Petite Sirah,9% Zinfandel
Vineyard: 93% Dunaweal Vineyard (Calistoga), 7% Mitsuko’s Vineyard (Carneros)
Soil: sandy clay-loam
Harvest Date: September 28 & October 5-Dunaweal Vineyard, October 17-Mitsuko’s Vyd
Aging: 16 months
Alcohol: 14.9%
T.A.: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.53
Residual Sugar: 0.5 g/L
Bottled: April 2011
Cases: 631
Optimal Drinking: now-2017


Tasting Notes

Exotic deep aromas of blackberry jam, French plums, fig and wild dried herbs dominate the nose, with complex cedar and spice undertones added through barrel aging. The voluptuous entry provides copious levels of hedonistic fruit framed by a dense mouth-feel, balanced acidity and integrated tannins. The intense fruit flavors with dark chocolate nuances linger on the palate with tremendous length of finish.

Vineyard & Vintage Notes

A fourth consecutive winter of low rainfall characterized the beginning of the 2009 growing season. Fortunately, spring frost events were reduced in severity and number compared with the previous year, although budbreak was similarly delayed. And, while cumulative rainfall was low overall, the atypically late timing of the precipitation delayed irrigation needs, while a warm spell in June helped curtail excessive canopy development. The remainder of the summer and early autumn was steadily warm and dry, without the frequency of heat events which have proven challenging in some past vintages. These ideal growing conditions led to optimal flowering, veraison and harvest, although the mildness of the year delayed timing of these critical events in the annual cycle of the vine. This mild weather coupled with prolonged hangtime produced wines which balance freshness and richness perfectly.

Winemaking Notes

Each of the lots used in our Pegaso was harvested at perfect ripeness, than individually fermented to ensure optimal extraction of flavor, color and tannin. After fermentation, the individual lots 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 early March 2011 in anticipation of bottling.

Previous Vintages