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2009 VINTAGE

This year, as new vineyard and winery owners, we received an opportunity to learn to adapt to nature's unpredictable rythms. Within a week of our February pruning and in the early stages of bud break, we suffered the most severe frost in thirty years. We lost 70% of our Syrah, a delicate varietal when contrasted against the tenacious Zinfandel, of which we lost 50%, and the resilient Cinsault, of which we lost only 20%.

Within only a few weeks after the frost we experienced a heat wave and began quickly getting water on the plants to continue to nurture the fruit we did have, including the small secondary clusters that bloomed after the frost.

With individual attention paid to each vine, and under the wise and careful hands of Viticulturist Mark Skenfield and his crew, shoots were thinned, leaves were trimmed to expose the now beautifully maturing clusters, and a careful watering program was in place. We have been especially pleased with the vigor of the plants and quality of the clusters. We harvested in August a small amount of intense fruit which we believe could result in one of the best vintages from our vineyard.

OUR ESTATE VINEYARDS, Beckman Vineyards

Our property was purchased early in 2008 and is being nurtured to produce exceptional fruit for many years to come. The first vineyard on the property was planted by Al Beckman twenty years ago when he planted scions taken from his father's Zinfandel vines in Lodi, which date back to the turn of the century. Next came the Syrah. The second estate vineyard was again planted in Zinfandel, Syrah and at the request of Matt Hatcher of Hatcher Winery in Murphys, Cinsault was added five years ago.

Matt's Beckman Vineyards Zinfandel sells out every year, but the Cinsault rose, dry and crisp but redolent with the fragrance of strawberries, flies out of his tasting room. Matt's belief that Cinsault would do well in Calaveras has proven true.

In an effort to stay in concert with the seasons and the vines, we have begun making the changes necessary to become a fully sustainable vineyard. We have replaced chemical compounds used in the vineyard with organic compounds whenever possible, have begun a composting program to return nutrients to the vineyard and are speaking with other vineyard owners who are transitioning from conventional to biodynamic farming practices.

NON-ESTATE FRUIT (sourced from two adjacent regions)

Quartz Hill Vineyard, El Dorado County

We have sourced our 2006 Merlot and Petit Syrah from Bob Scharpf's Quartz Hill Vineyard. Bob's fruit has been contracted to several of our favorite wineries for many years but we have been able to enjoy a limited allotment. Both Bob and his wife, Margot, are dear friends and mentors, as are Thomas Coyne of Thomas Coyne Winery in Livermore and his wife Emily who first introduced us to their Quartz Hill wines, now among our favorites. The bold yet refined and well-structured wines from the granitic Sierra soils on Quartz Hill compliment a wide array of menu selections ranging from succulent roasted root vegetables to grilled filet mignon.

 

Ripkin Vineyard, Lodi

The Voignier fruit sourced from the Ripkin Vineyard only ever seems to inspire with each new vintage. One of the stars coming out of the central valley, we continue to place this Rhone varietal at the top of our favorites list for its succulent honeysuckle, melon and citrus qualities, as beautiful a bouquet as one could find in the flower marts of France.