Mendocino County 2005 Vintage

MENDOCINO AND LAKE COUNTY 2005 VINTAGE Hubert Lenczowski, Owner/Winemaker, Duncan Peak Vineyards, Hopland

Mendocino and Lake counties experienced crop loads this harvest that were very moderate compared to reports of crop loads in neighboring counties. The moderate crop loads produced wines with very good strength and structure.

Contributing to the very positive quality of this year's harvest was the slow ripening season without extraordinary heat spikes during the coloring of the fruit. While white wine grape quality is very solid, the red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, are extraordinary, with very mature fruit being harvested with requisite sugar, balanced flavor, and very resolved tannins.

From a purely viticultural perspective, the newer rootstocks and clones that have been planted in the last 20 years, having less viruses, are allowing the grapes to acquire high sugar levels before being fully mature. In 2005, the long and moderate growing season allowed for sugar development to coincide with fruit maturity, resulting in far above average quality for the red wines of Mendocino and Lake counties, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Rhone varieties for which Mendocino County's inland valleys are famous.

The 2005 year promises to be an outstanding vintage for Mendocino County and Lake County wines.

Mendocino County wineries crushed 52,252 tons of winegrapes and Lake County crushed 27,272 winegrape tons in 2004. Both counties are part of the North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). Mendocino has seven additional AVAs, including Anderson Valley, Cole Ranch, Dos Rios, McDowell Valley, Mendocino Ridge, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley and Yorkville Highlands. Lake County has four more AVAs, including Clear Lake, Guenoc Valley, High Valley and Red Hills Lake County.