Cinnabar's Winemaking Philosophy
We begin each growing season with an open mind and optimism that we will be able to make the best wine possible. Mother Nature hands us wine grapes that we have to coddle into becoming great wines.
We make wines that are approachable enough to drink on their own, yet sufficiently complex to enjoy with a variety of foods. We prefer deeply colored red wines because they usually express intense aromas, silky textures and a rich mouthfeel. Stylistically, we like to balance the elements of acidity, tannins and mouthfeel. The manifestation of that balance is determined by the varietal makeup of the wine and the location of the fruit source.
Each vineyard source has its own brand of Mediterranean climate that is defined by unique combinations of temperature, precipitation and maritime influence. Soils range from rocky red clays to well-drained sandy loams, or thin mountain layers to thick deposits of limestone and shale. Whatever the constitution, all soils work in tandem with their respective climates to produce quality wine grapes year after year.
Winemaker Alejandro Aldama orchestrates every aspect of the winemaking process; beginning with our year-round commitment to vineyards owned by growers with whom we’ve had longstanding relationships every viticultural decision we make — whether it is winter pruning, spring leaf removal, summer crop thinning, or irrigation at various times of the season. It all has a profound effect on wine quality.
To maintain freshness, grapes are hand harvested in the morning cool and promptly moved to nearby cellars. Our winemaking facility is equipped with the necessary tools to produce world-class wines, and we age them in the finest French, American and Hungarian oak barrels.
From our perspective, winemaking is as much of a lifestyle choice as it is a career, and we are proud to be part of a winery that was founded on a never-ending commitment to produce quality wines for our customers,friends and families.