2022 Ad-Lib

Ad-Lib [adjective]:

1. spoken or performed without previous preparation.

2. used, or distributed as often as necessary or desired. 

The 2022 Ad-Lib has quickly established itself as a highlight within the Blustone Vineyards collection. This vintage is centered around the robust Marquette grape, beautifully harmonized with a dynamic mix of Merlot and Malbec, resulting in a smooth and inviting feel. It opens with vibrant aromas of dark cherries and just a hint of charred oak, followed by a palate rich with the flavors of plums and blackberries. This versatile, food-friendly wine is an excellent match for laid-back dishes such as pizza, burgers, and Taco Tuesdays. Yet, as the Blustone team playfully suggests, the best pairing for this wine might just be another glass of itself.

Vineyard Notes:

2022 was a very traditional Leelanau Peninsula growing season at our Sylt Road Vineyard. Despite bud break being a few days late on May 17, our total growing degree days (a measure of how much heat the vines have to work with during the growing season which our vineyard team uses to gauge vine growth and grape ripening) was pretty much spot on our 5-year average. Total rainfall was as expected though the number of hours it rained was higher than normal. This meant constant supervision of the grapes to ensure proper management of potential Botrytis bunch rot.

Fruit quality metrics were exactly on par with sugar contents generally running between 20-21 degrees Brix, although the pHs were a touch lower than normal. Lower pH equates to a higher acid concentration in the wines, which we take into consideration when we make our finishing decisions to produce incredibly well-balanced wine.