Ironstone Vineyards 2000 Obsession, made from Murphys and Lodi vineyard Symphony grapes, is a white wine cultivar developed in 1948 by Dr. Olmo (University of California, Davis). It’s been the most thoroughly tested of all new cultivars. Of plebeian ancestry, Muscat of Alexandria was crossed with Grenache Gris. The result is a wine with delicate Muscat flavor and aroma. Symphony shows an unusual resistance to oxidation. At cellar temperature, Obsession maintains its light color, flavor, and bouquet for 10 or more years in the bottle.

Unlike most wine grapes, Symphony clusters are generally quite large, with very large berries. In late September, fully

ripened Ironstone Symphony grapes are delivered to the winery early in the day. These grapes are grown in Ironstone Vineyards, which were established in 1989. They are typically picked when at 22.5% brix. This is when the Symphony grape character is fully developed and gives Ironstone Vineyards Obsession a perfect balance.

These grapes must be crushed to facilitate pressing and obtain good juice extraction. By using a Diemme tank press, Symphony yields a very high quality juice that’s low in phenolics and solids. The juice is cold settled for 48 hours at 40° F, then racked and inoculated with a pure strain of yeast culture that begins fermentation, lasting three to four weeks. The residual sugar level is kept in the wine by stopping the fermentation rate through chilling. After several rackings, the wine can be warmed and stabilized before bottling. There’s no oak aging in the 2000 Obsession.