In 2012, we met Paul Gordon who along with his wife, Jackie, were developing the Halcon Vineyard in northern California. We got along great and with nothing more than a handshake decided to buy grapes. We have never put a vineyard on our front label (and we used some great ones) as our vision was to blend the best grapes we could get. It was the blend that was our goal. At the time, and somewhat today, that is the opposite of the single vineyard designated wines, but that wasn't what we wanted to do. Anyway, Halcon Vineyard, which eventually was utilized some rock stars in the wine world, has since been sold and the Gordons moved back to Europe. At the time, however, it was a cool, rural place, that offered us the chance to make a separate wine. The first question was what to call it. Unmasked was suggested as it was a counterfoil to Persona just as the wine cool climate Syrah was to our warmer climate. And, 2012, was our first vintage. In the end, we did blend in a slight amount of White Hawk Vineyard to give the wine some peaks and fruit but the vast majority of the wine was from Halcon. The wine is purple in color with some ruby hues, and bright and opaque. The nose is tight and takes some time to open and then shows boysenberries, black olives, black pepper and crushed rock. Medium to full bodied. Medium tannins. Great acidity and energy. On the palate, this is cooler climate in style but definitely California. Lean but powerful with boysenberries, black pepper, minerality and char. Good finish. It is drinking well now but no signs of being past prime. Probably better with food, it went well with stuffed peppers but would be great with braised meats. Should go another seven to ten years. While this is my least favorite wine in our portfolio, it is still outstanding if I do say so myself and it was the beginning as we had to understand what this vineyard could offer in the future.
