Jeff’s Letter from September 2024
To our club members,
The grapes have been on the track since March, and the leaders are about to run the bell lap and cross the finish line. In this case, it’s the Verdelho. We have it scheduled for Thursday, August 22. If all goes well and the Verdelho passes its next two field tests, this will mark the earliest harvest in our thirty-year history. In 2020, we picked Pinot Noir on August 24. I thought that with all the triple-digit heat and the amount of time the vines have spent above 95 degrees, the ripening would be delayed. Not so. Just when you think you have this winemaking schtick figured out, Mother Nature throws a curveball. In any event, harvest is right around the corner. We finished bottling last week and are racing to get the equipment tuned up and the barrels ready for the new vintage.
It is a delight to look at my weather app and see highs in the eighties for nine of the next ten days. It seems odd that ninety degrees actually feels nice. A friend reminded me that it’s all relative. I have my fingers and toes crossed that we don’t experience the heat we did in 2022. That wasn’t much fun. Hopefully, temperatures will moderate in early September, and we can get the July/September double wine club shipment to you soon.
We have six red wines and one white for you. The 2022 Sangiovese is a new blend for us. Half is coming from the Pioneer Hill Vineyard and the other half from the Dick Cooper Ranch. The judges at the 2024 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition thought so highly of this wine that they named it Best Sangiovese of the Competition. We think you will like it.
Petit Verdot is another substantial red wine with deep color and loads of black currants. The tannins are in check, and the finish is rich and full, free of drying astringency.
The Touriga remains the most floral offering in our portfolio, with plenty of violets and perfumed black fruits. Easy-drinking, this wine is perfect for pork with a fruit sauce, whether apple, fig, peach, or pear.
Lagrein is the SMEII selection. The fruit comes from the Highlands District of Paso Robles and produces an inky red wine with plenty of extract. While this wine is enjoyable on its own, it pairs much better with grilled red meat or braised game. It’s a nice addition to your wine list for the upcoming fall hunting season.
We also have two general release reds: a Syrah from the Dal Porto Ranch here in Amador County and a Tempranillo from Ann Kraemer’s Shake Ridge Ranch. We don’t produce much of either wine, so if I’ve piqued your interest, don’t wait, as these wines go fast.
The one white wine we are releasing in September is the 2023 Viognier, and it is one of my favorites. The aromas of peach, apricot, and pear are intense and leap from the glass. The wine has a rich, creamy texture, yet it retains a refreshing brightness. The aftertaste is free of the pithy citrus rind bitterness that often mars the finish of this varietal. Try it with seafood accompanied by a cream sauce.
– Jeff
