Ever wondered how winemakers create red wines with deeper color, bolder flavor, and extra intensity? Cap drain wines offer exactly that. These dry red blends change from vintage to vintage, with our winemaking team selecting each combination based on the character of the year.
For example, this past May we introduced two new cap drain wines exclusively for our Wine Club members. These releases included the 2021 Braganini Reserve Winemaker’s Series Cap Drain #1 BDX and the 2022 Braganini Reserve Winemaker’s Series Cap Drain #1, a blend of Tempranillo, Blaufränkisch, and Cabernet Franc. So, what exactly is cap drain winemaking, and what makes these wines so unique?
Our Vice President of Winemaking, Nancie Oxley, learned this artisanal technique from renowned winemaker Daryl Groom. She studied the process while interning at Geyser Peak Winery in Napa Valley. To understand cap drain wines, it helps to start with red winemaking basics.
During red wine fermentation, winemakers ferment juice and grape skins together. This step extracts color, flavor, and texture. As fermentation begins, the skins rise to the top of the tank. They form a thick layer known as the “cap.” When fermentation finishes and the wine is ready for barrel aging, the wine drains away from this cap of skins.
In most cases, winemakers discard the cap or turn it into compost. However, cap drain wines take a different path. Instead of discarding the skins, winemakers keep them in place for an additional 48 hours. During this time, the skins and seeds still hold small pockets of wine.
As those skins rest, the trapped wine continues extracting color, flavor, and structure. Gravity then gently releases this concentrated wine from the skins. Winemakers collect it and age it separately in barrels. This process produces small lots of dark, intense red wines with remarkable depth.
Each year, St. Julian creates different cap drain blends. For the 2021 Braganini Reserve Winemaker’s Series Cap Drain #1 BDX, the team blended cap drain wines of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The result is a rich wine with earthy and fruity notes. The name BDX refers to Bordeaux, reflecting the classic French-inspired style.
The 2022 Braganini Reserve Winemaker’s Series Cap Drain #1 offers a different expression. This blend combines Tempranillo, Blaufränkisch, and Cabernet Franc. It leans slightly fruitier than the BDX, with vibrant flavors of raspberry, plum, and cola. As a result, it makes an excellent warm-weather red. Both wines are available for a limited time. If you enjoy bold, small-lot wines, these cap drain releases are a must-try before they disappear.
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