2022 Maquette
(39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, & 5% Petit Verdot)
2022 Maquette brings forth a plethora of both dark fruity taste and herbal earthy spice. This Bordeaux style blend shows off the unique mesoclimates of the Frankel Family Estate. Black olive aromas and cultivated soil lead into black berries and purple flowers on the nose while the mouthfeel shows red fruits, plums and raisin taste. It's very complete tasting on the palate, offering vibrant chocolate cherry with warm toasted oaky flavors. The wine’s acid is present as well, making it a great candidate for stews, pork loin and tri-tip meal pairings. The wine is dry, tannic to the core and centered around a myriad of kitchen spices on the palate. The fruit comes on the finish, with an interesting expression of backed fruit cake. This is an ageable wine, give it a good 5 years of cellaring before it’s tasting at its best. Drink now through 2030 for best results and I would not be surprised if it held up longer than that!
All lots were crushed, fermented, pressed and barrel aged at Sculpterra’s Onsite Winery located in the middle of the estate. Once again, the five lots were kept as independent with unique yeast, barrels and racking programs implemented throughout the life of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon “Chivos” lot was aged in two new 500L French Oak Vernou barrels. These high-end French Barrels offer notes of vanilla, clove, nutmeg and cashew nut. These barrels need at least 18 months for full flavor integration, so it was imperative that this wine be barrel aged at least one full year. Also, we aged a portion of our Cabernet Franc wine in new 225L Demptos American and Hungarian Oak barrels. The barrels heads are Hungarian while the body of the barrel is American. This barrel offers loads dill, eucalyptus, charcoal and even coconut flavors, you match that with spice Cab Franc and the results are amazing! Merlot and Petite Verdot were aged in once and twice used barrels in order to show the true varietal characteristics of these grapes. In total we bottled 930 cases and the wine is set to be released approx. 18 months later.
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal | Maquette |
| Varietal Composition | 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, & 5% Petit Verdot |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Acid | 0.65 |
| PH | 3.57 |
| Residual Sugar | 0.04 |
| Alcohol | 14.50% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 05/15/2024 |
| Cases Produced | 930 |
2022 Maquette combines four red Bordeaux Frankel Family Estate grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Without a doubt this is one of my favorite wines produced at Sculpterra Winery! It’s a true testament to the land at Sculpterra, the blend is dynamic, captivating and complex. This wine combines four grapes but actually five lots are used in the production of this blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon is taken from two blocks “Chivos” and “Puerta Electrica.” These diverse and unique blocks are cane-pruned and low yielding, the soil is a mix of small stone, clay and sections with high levels of sand. The Chivos block only produces 2 tons per acre and the resulting wine is dark and tannic. Puerta Electrica Cabernet is more fruit driven, showing off crushed strawberry and lively cherry. Cabernet Franc is located in front of the sculpture garden in “Lago De Los Patos” block. This block is truly amazing, very consistent shoot growth and berry size makes it an easy rippener with a strong highlight of pleasant green leaf and jalapeno taste. Merlot is found on the “Hillside” vineyard and is one of the oldest vineyards on the property. This Merlot also ripens early usually converting to a higher alcohol wine adding to the length and depth of this blend. Petit Verdot, one of the newest vineyards on the estate, ripens late, usually only making it to 23 BRIX but it always displays wonderful tannins and dark fruity flavors.
