Hope Springs Eternal As a New Grape-Growing Season Begins
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TO O RDER M ORE F EATURED W INES CALL 1-800-823-5527 TODAY! Volume 1 The Number 4 ©Vinesse Wine Club 2006 SKU 4116 Grapevine GraTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER FOReVINESSEINESSEvineWINEINE CLUB MEMBERS T O N p V W C M Hope Springs Eternal as a New Grape-Growing Season Begins By Robert Johnson MARTIN’S t has been said that do to make sure the growing season JOURNAL I an optimist is the gets off to a good start. That story human personifica- comprises our “Cellarmaster” s we all know, a tion of spring. feature. Asurvey can be In her column on page 2, Vinesse devised to “prove” Wine Steward Katie Montgomery anything we want. No wonder I love this season takes us to a truly unique vineyard so much. Sure, part of it has to do in the Sonoma County burg of Glen For example, a recent survey with the fact that I do not enjoy Ellen, where the owner has mapped “revealed” that nine out of ten being cold. Cellar temperature at out at least 26 different varieties of consumers think non-cork closures a winery is about as low as I like winegrapes, including some you’ve “sometimes or often cheapen a to go. never heard of. When you talk about bottle of wine.” But mainly I love spring because making “wine of a place,” Old Hill What that “finding” doesn’t tell us it signals the beginning of the Ranch could be the definition. is what percentage of people winegrape-growing season. As Our “Appellation Showcase” fea- answered “sometimes” and what those tiny buds ture takes us a little percentage answered “often,” as it’s begin to appear northwest of Glen fairly obvious that two categories on grapevines, Ellen to the Russian were combined to develop the per- hope springs River Valley. We’ll ception of a landslide vote in eternal (as look at the geologic favor of using traditional corks. they say) for developments One other thing you should the right kind through time that know about the survey: It was of weather at shaped this wonder- conducted on behalf of a con- the right period ful growing region. sortium of Portuguese cork of the growing We’ll go even fur- producers. Surprise, surprise. cycle to assure ther afield in our Here at Vinesse, we’ve top-quality fruit “Wine Touring Tips” been supporting the use of cork for the men and feature, which this alternatives for years. We were way women who month transports you ahead of that curve. Our only inter- transform that fruit into the wines to the Hawke’s Bay area of New est is in assuring that each bottle of we love so much. And that does Zealand’s north island. Vinesse wine is fresh and flavorful, require a good deal of optimism. And that’s just a taste of what regardless of how it’s sealed. In this issue of The Grapevine, you’ll find inside this issue. As Corks will continue to dominate you’ll read about the critical transi- always, we hope you enjoy the the marketplace for years to come, tion period from winter to spring in newsletter, and we hope you enjoy but fear not the non-cork closure. wine country, and what the farmers your featured wine selections. Robert Johnson can be reached at [email protected]. 2 • The Grapevine • Visit vinesse.com winery, I wanted to learn everything I could about our vineyard,” Will says. “On my first trip to the library history annex, I couldn’t believe what I uncovered.” ZIN BECOMES A STAR OUR MISSION: Old Hill Ranch was founded by To uncover and bring you wine gems William McPherson Hill in 1852. It from around the world, which you’re was the first vineyard in Sonoma to be not likely to discover on your own, and planted with non-Mission varieties, which enhance your wine enjoyment. and it was recognized in the 1860s as YOUR GRAPEVINE TEAM: ow important a source of some of California’s finest Intrepid Wine Enthusiast, Chief H is vine age in wines. More recently, wine historian Taster and Winehound: determining a vineyard’s Charles Sullivan called Old Hill the Martin Stewart terroir? It’s an interest- source of “California’s first really Chief Operating Officer ing question, since we famous Zinfandel.” (aka “The Buck Stops Here”): While Old Hill Ranch has always Lawrence D. Dutra normally approach this been recognized as a Zinfandel “field Editor: topic from the other blend” containing a number of vari- Robert Johnson direction — as in: how eties, the true extent of the varietal Wine Steward: Katie Montgomery the terroir impacts the mix was uncovered only when Will vines. finished his survey of the vines. The Grapevine is published by Vinesse, Bucklin’s new Old Hill Vineyard 822 Hampshire Road, Suite E, Westlake Village, CA 91361; 1-800-823-5527. Map, entitled “Anatomy of a Copyright by Vinesse, LLC. Printed in USA. “When I tell buyers that Old Hill is Vineyard,” can be viewed online at No responsibility is assumed for loss or probably the oldest vineyard in Buckzin.com. damage to unsolicited materials. Sonoma, their eyes light up,” says Will “The more intimate you become with Bucklin, winemaker at the Bucklin a vineyard, the better grapes you can winery and vineyard manager for Old grow and the better the wine that can CHARTER MEMBER Hill Ranch. “But when I’d tell them be produced,” says Will. “We can now BENEFITS: that the vineyard is a field blend that literally tend this vineyard vine-by-vine The Grapevine Newsletter consists of over 26 grape varieties and and treat each vine differently based — more than anything, even the vines’ on the needs of the variety.” Premium wine selections at members-only prices age — it is the nature of the field blend that dictates the terroir of Old AN AMAZING MIX Wine tasting as a participant Hill, they seem less impressed.” While Zinfandel is by far the most on VINESSE’s Gold Medal Will needed visuals. widely planted variety at Old Hill Award Panel And he had a simple idea that Ranch, Will also found Alicante Free subscription to VINESSE’s evolved into a two-year project: Why Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Carignane Cyber Circle Community not document each and every vine in Lenoir, Grand Noir, Barbera, Grenache, Members-only savings, includ- his field-blend, and make a map show- Mourvedre, Trousseau, Tannat, French ing Food & Wine subscriptions, ing their locations in the vineyard? Colombard, Cinsaut, Charbano, dining out, gourmet food and Such a map would help people under- Palimino, Catawba, and various types tickets to the hottest events stand the uniqueness and complexity of Muscat, among others. Random giveaways of wine and of the vineyard, document the vine- It is this unique blend of grapes in accessories yard’s makeup for historical purposes, the vineyard, Will believes, that makes Wine Finders Reward — identi- lead to a better understanding of what his Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel fy a future wine selection and the founders of the vineyard were such a unique wine. The interplay earn a reward thinking, and create a knowledge among the various varieties, combined foundation for better farming of the with the extreme age of the vines, Perfectly matched recipes for featured wine selections vineyard. makes for a wine that is not so much “When I returned from making wine “Zinfandel” as it is “Old Hill Ranch.” in Oregon to help start our family’s Visit vinesse.com • The Grapevine • 3 far beyond New Zealand’s shores — Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, including Mission Estate, Te Mata Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir Estate, McDonalds Winery and and Malbec are favored by many Glenvale Winery (now known as Esk vintners. White variety stars include Valley Winery). Today, some 40 Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, WINE wineries in the area welcome guests Semillon, Gewurztraminer and Pinot for tasting. Gris. Some winemakers also craft Of course, each winery is unique, sparkling wines and dessert-style and each is influenced by its physical wines. surroundings. A tour of Hawke’s Bay Hawke’s Bay is an agricultural and wine country can take you to coastal gastronomic hub, with produce areas influenced by the Pacific Ocean, growers providing restaurateurs with alluvial plains, river valleys and fresh ingredients year-round. The sweeping hillsides. town’s weekend farmers’ markets TOURING TIPS Grape growing in Hawke’s Bay provide a great reason for visitors to extends from Nuhaka in the get out of bed early and north to Takapau in don their walking shoes. the south, with When not squeezing ew Zealand is many of the produce or sipping N larger than most vineyards and wine, visitors to people think. Because wineries Hawke’s Bay can it’s situated next to the situated enjoy the local massive continent/ around the beaches, go fish- Heretaunga ing, swim with country of Australia Plains and its dolphins, take a on the world map, surrounding hot-air balloon New Zealand appears river valleys. ride, paraglide diminutive, but its land Traveling off Te Mata mass actually is from the Peak or hike equivalent to that of north, the on one of 17 California or Japan. Esk Valley heritage trails. serves as a And no matter beautiful where one turns Because there’s a lot of ground to front door to in the town of cover, and because there are two the region. To Hawke’s Bay, fas- separate islands to navigate, the best the northwest, the cinating art deco way to experience “New Zealand picturesque Dartmoor architecture will Wine Country” is to zero in on one Valley has its own microcli- attract and delight the eye.