Cellar
Notes
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Wirz Vineyard is situated at more than 1000 feet elevation above a valley floor which is moderated by coastal weather patterns. Located on the San Andreas Fault line, the vineyard is a mixture of granite and limestone soils, bringing ideal acid and pH values to this wine and allowing this unique vineyard - grown on its own rootstock - to consistently produce the best Carignane I've ever tasted. This moderate bodied wine has delicate spicy fruit, ample body and tannins. Wirz was the last vineyard harvested in 2001, picked at 24.8 Brix. The must was fermented in open top redwood tanks, hand punched down 4 to 6 times daily until almost dry then finished in tank and transferred to mostly French barrels for 15 months until bottled by a state of the art bottling line.
When unbottled, entrapped flavors release aromas of irises, bouquet of citrus, and nuances of oak as the wine greets the glass. With some time in the glass it becomes a wine of many textures supported by light tannins and a complete mouth presence.
At bottling:
Ph: 3.68
T.A. .71
Alcohol 13.5%
Produced: 523 cases
Grapes producing a full bodied Grenache with old world structure and color is something I have sought for years. It requires more than old vines or leaving grapes hanging an extra week. The highly mineralised tortured landscape west of Hollister has made me a believer in California Grenache by yielding a bacchanalian purple wine redolent of Grenache spice, drawing one's lips to the glass like a moth to a flame.
Miller Vineyard is situated southwest of Hollister in the rugged environment of the Cienega Valley. Located near the San Andreas Fault in a rugged hillside area, the dry farmed old vines home is a granite and limestone ridge top, which helps avoid frost for this late ripening variety, and picked late these were. This vintage ripened to 25.3 Brix and coupled with a long hang time yielded a full bodied bacchnalian purple wine redolent of Grenache spice. Very few old vine Grenache exist so our production is limited.
The hillside vineyard seldom yields more than 4 tons. The grapes were crushed into open top wood tanks, hand punched down four to six times daily then aged in neutral oak for 16 months. A state of the art bottling line completed the wine maker's contribution.
At bottling:
Ph: 3.68
TA .62
Alcohol 14.4%
110 Cases Produced
Malbec is one of the five allowable grape veritals to be grown in the Bordeaux region. It is used in France to add color and structure to blended wines and is the dominate grape grown in Argentina.
Mannstand vineyard is a twenty acre vineyard of primarily Bordeaux varieties; of which one is Malbec. The Malbec grapes are in their seventh year of production, appearing well suited to their environment. The 1997 Malbec received the only double gold award given in the Santa Cruz appellation and went to the best of the best competition at the California state fair. The 1999 was awarded best of class at the West coast wine competition.
The Malbec grapes are the first Bordeaux reds off the vine and usually only grower anxiety stands between a perfect harvest. The 2000 vintage was of average harvest sugar, being picked at 23.9 Brix. After fermenting approximately one week in open top redwood vats, the wine completed fermentation in tank and was then racked to primarily French oak for nine months, medium filtered then bottled by a state of the art bottling line.
TA .76
pH 3.67 at bottling
245 cases produced.
"In 1980 I began searching for the vineyard that yielded Cabernet wines of a Bordeaux profile. After two years I found Talmadge in the Redwood Valley, and more precisely Mountanos Vineyard. Merlot was planted in 1986 and the vineyard blends are powerhouse wines laden with rich fruit for early consumption and aging well into cedar spices and French oak overtones. This blend is 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon."
JP PawloskiLess than 200 cases produced.
Alcohol 13.2% by volume.
Clautiere vineyard is located east of Paso Robles on a unique limestone ridge. This ground imparts flavors of exotic strawberry fruit to both the Syrah and the Mouvedre planted there. The vineyard is ten years old with new plantings of another Syrah clone in 1999.
Aging in Newer oak barrels for 9 months has accented this subtle spicy Syrah. The multifaceted character of this wine makes it an elegant companion to such diverse dishes as pasta, salmon and grilled meats.
Less than 600 cases produced.
Alcohol 13% by volume.
The Zinfandel grape vines of Wirz ranch are 80 to 110 years old, dry-farmed with low harvest production, therefore yielding that special flavor that a vineyard planted on its own rootstock can have. 2001 was a year of high acid and low pH -indicating long life. The abundance of extracted fruit and adequate alcohol make this a fine wine to enjoy now or watch develop over years.
The fruit was harvested over a three week period. Fermented in open top redwood vats and hand punched down four to six times daily. The wine finished fermentation in tank and rested a year in mostly French oaks barrels, coarse filtered and bottled by a state of the art bottling line.
310 cases produced.
A classic Rhone blend of 68% Carignane, 15% mouvedre, 14% syrah and 3% grenache. We began producing this traditional blend of grapes in 1991. The blend has remained roughly constant with each varietal being harvested at different times from several vineyards contribute to this melange. Fermented in 1500 gallon redwood vats and punched down four to six times daily, the wines were pressed via an ancient basket press and roughly blended while finishing fermentation, then racked into mostly french oak barrels for eighteen months before barrel selection is made.
Unfined and medium filtered this wine will continue to present an elegant example of a marriage of flavors and bouquet in the old world style. The bold fleshy Syrah counterpoints the sweet tones of grenache as the wine opens. light tannins and crisp finnish.
504 cases produced.
Rapid Red comes along every three or four years when the vintage years are taste-wise diametric and a blend of several cuvees synergistically creates a much better wine than its components. The Grand Chateaus of France and River Run deal with nature in the same fashion by going with the flow and creating a non vintage wine that deserves praise but doesn't command a top price.
For the 150 years of synchronized world wide vintage dating, Europeans wise in wine buying have purchased from the vintner a years supply of wine for the table; a wine to be enjoyed immediately and have the capacity to be more appreciated in several years. Rapid Red is such a wine.
The components of rapid red are five parts Cabernet Sauvignon, three parts Carignane, two parts Syrah, two parts Zinfandel and one part Malbec. A Bordeaux nose is dominate, Syrah gives depth and density, and Zinfandel and Carignane add complexity; - a tasty wine.
265 cases produced
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