September, 2023
Last month, we gave you the weather conditions, but we did not expect a cyclone! But we were on the edge of the storm. We did get some wind but no rain. Now that we got doused with Holy Water and the grapes blessed by Father John at the great Harvest Party at the winery, we are moving full steam ahead, but harvest is running a little late. We expect to start picking Champagne grapes by the 12th of September.
2022 Rosé of Pinot Noir: I remember when we decided to use Pinot Noir to make rosé. The decision was that we should take the top-tier red for our region and make a classic wine. It is now 15 years later, and it seems like it has improved with each passing year. The grapes come from our premium Pinot Noir vineyards, and we are working to decrease the amount of alcohol in the wine. A little more crisp with a little less heat, and a little softer on the palate - this is a fun wine!
2019 Petite Sirah: This grape is not that well-known but it has a dedicated following. Petite Sirah is overlooked but it belongs in the category of superior wines. In color, it ranks with the top. It has a rich mouthfeel with tannins that seem bold but are soft. The vines are from an unknown clone. I knew the person who planted these vines and have good reason to suspect the vines came from one of the old great Paul Masson vineyards. Only my confessor knows! What a great story.
2020 Pinot Noir, Estate: This wine used to be our “Santa Barbara County” Pinot Noir but it deserved better recognition than that. This Pinot has been well-received in many places and is the product of a warm harvest year. It contains five different Pinot Noir clones, predominately Clone 115 and the VR clone. 115 is noted for being big and dark in color, rich, and bold in flavor. The VR clone (Vosne-Romanée) is the first clone that I planted in Santa Maria from Dr. Goheen at U.C. Davis. It was the product of heat treatment to make virus-free vines. This wine is a good example of what a Pinot should be. And it’s underpriced.
Say a prayer for harvest and a thank you to Father John for the blessing. We look forward to Thanksgiving and a bountiful harvest.