2009—our upcoming wines
When we think about the wines to come, they fall into two categories. We are very excited about each, in different ways:
We will offer these wines to the mailing list in mid-summer and release them around the first of October, perhaps a little later if it stays hot. We feel pretty good about these wines:
2007 LOS OLIVOS VINEYARD CHOÊPHOROI
NEW WINES IN 2009:
Every year, I think that our portfolio of vineyards has become complete—and every year, some new opportunity presents itself. Tegan in indefatigable in turning up excellent sites with great farming and interesting varieties; he is still working on a Sierra Foothills Barbera for us for 2009.
We are also negotiating for about 5 tons of dry-farmed, old-vine Chardonnay from the top of Mt. Veeder, straddling the Sonoma county line. This is vineyard that I know well and that can produce wines that are very rich and powerful and very high in acid at the same time.
Lastly, we are going to get much more of the grapes that went into our free rose program last year. This is Malvasia Nera from 100-year old vines in Lodi. Very special: dark in color, but very light in body with a great emphasis on florality. We have not yet figured out how we are going to do it, but the idea is to make a wine that follows the path of Lambrusco.