WINE PRESS Line Shack Winery Gold Medal Wine Club Newsletter: Vol. 19 No. 3 ine Shack Winery embraces San Antonio Valley’s unique environment and proves Lthat Cabernet can prosper in even the most unexpected of settings. Owners Bob and Daphne Balentine began making wine 20 years ago when they acquired a small ranch in Chualar Canyon in Monterey. The Estate’s original line shack, which was discovered in 1989, still remains on the property and serves as the winery’s Tasting Room. Line Shack Winery produces much of their fruit from the San Antonio Valley in Southern Monterey County, an emerging winegrowing region for Bordeaux and Rhône varieties. GOLD MEDAL WINE CLUB - AMERICA’S LEADING INDEPENDENT WINE CLUB SINCE 1992 2005 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 SAUVIGNON BLANC The Line Shack 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Line Shack’s 2007 Sauvignon Blanc was was produced from small estate vineyards in produced from vineyards located in Southern the new San Antonio Valley AVA in the Monterey County. In 2004, the Balentine heart of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. 2005 VINTAGE: 2005 VINTAGE: family began their quest to produce world At elevations reaching up to 1,300 feet and class Sauvignon Blanc from the well-known GOLD MEDAL – LOS ANGELES approximately 12 miles inland from the SILVER MEDAL – SAN FRANCISCO region, and decided on small estate vineyards Pacific Ocean, these vineyards yield intense CHRONICLE WINE COMPETITION; INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS in the San Lucas AVA in the foothills of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal characteristics SILVER MEDAL – DALLAS MORNING COMPETITION Southern Salinas Valley. This stylish, dry and and complex flavors. Although this new refreshing flavored wine accurately shows the NEWS WINE COMPETITION winegrowing region is not typically known AVA’s unique characteristics and makes it for its big, bold reds, owner/winemaker Bob LEGACY: LINE SHACK’S SAUVIGNON easy to see why Line Shack has achieved Balentine proves that the area can produce Gold Medals with three out of their last four some exciting Cabernet Sauvignon, and the LEGACY: JUST THE 2ND VINTAGE RELEASE BLANCS HAVE ACHIEVED GOLD MEDALS vintages. The 2007 Sauvignon Blanc was a critics agree. Awarded a Silver Medal from the FROM LINE SHACK, THIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON THREE OUT OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS. Gold Medal winner at the Los Angeles San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and ACHIEVES THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE a Silver Medal at the Dallas Morning News International Wine & Spirits Competition. Its Wine Competition, Line Shack’s 2005 Cabernet EMERGING SAN ANTONIO VALLEY AVA AND BUILDS tangy aromas of citrus, pineapple and melon lead into crisp fruit flavors of grapefruit and Sauvignon is a collage of mountain-grown ANTICIPATION FOR WHAT’S YET TO COME! fruit with an array of cherry, red currants, guava before a clean, enjoyably refreshing cola and vanilla oak spice flavors wrapped finish. The complex flavors and nice balance around balanced tannins and a smooth finish. achieved in this Sauvignon Blanc are qualities A small percentage of the grapes came from Paso characteristic of the San Lucas AVA, and Robles’ Sunbelt vineyard, which contributed Just the facts: Just the facts: matched with Line Shack’s strict quality the cherry and berry-like flavors in the finished standards, the finished product is an impressive wine. Try pairing the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon pH . 3.75 pH . 3.33 accomplishment. Winemaker Bob Balentine with grilled steaks and hearty red-sauced pastas. Alcohol . 14.5% Alcohol . 13.8% recommends serving the 2007 Sauvignon Aged 18 months in oak. 80% Cabernet Total Acid. 0.57 g/100 mls Total Acid. 0.67 g/100 mls Blanc chilled with fresh cracked crab, fish, Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, Cases Produced . 3,400 Cases Produced . 2,500 salads, and light pasta dishes. 100% Sauvignon 3% Syrah. Enjoy now until 2015. Drink Now or Up to Year. 2015 Drink Now or Up to Year. 2010 Blanc. Enjoy now until 2010. horseback could take shelter from and into the hands of the nature’s wrath. It was usually found general public. A small out in the wilderness and often total of about 750 cases ine shack provided the only shelter the were produced that year, cowboys would have from the a figure that has grown elements and the only place they rapidly until it reached This month’s Gold Series Selection, Line Shack Winery, began its existence as a could cook a reasonable meal. Our this year’s total of around modest family-owned and run startup business in 2003. The Balentines, Bob and family acquired a small ranch in 7,500 cases. Daphne, decided to execute a long time dream of operating a small commercial Chualar Canyon in 1989, and the “We intended to keep winery in an area of Monterey County that was sparsely populated and seemingly ideal for their new enterprise. only building on it was the cabin. our operation quite small,” Balentine The historic property’s original line shack The couple relied on Bob’s long-term knowledge of the area and in particular, his furtive dream of one day The first time we saw the place, we explained. “When we did the was the first building in which the family’s Lmaking a distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon in an environment that seemed almost unsuited to the needs of the knew it would be perfect for what numbers, we figured it would take Line Shack wines were made. extensively hung red Bordeaux varietal. Insiders felt there were few locations in Monterey that offered sufficient we wanted to do.” us about 2,500 cases to make a heat for the Cabernet vines. In 2004, the first harvest was living. I was prepared to make the The project became known as the Line Shack Winery in honor of the first building in which the family’s wines crushed and the following year the wine, go around and sell it and receiving, it was really a tough go. were made, a neglected line shack at a high elevation in the northern part of Monterey County. first bottles of Line Shack Winery anything else that was needed. I had long term contracts for a large “A line shack, in the lore of the old west,” explained Bob Balentine, “referred to a small cabin where cowboys on made their way onto the shelves Even with the medals we started amount of grapes, and it was taking Page 2 Page 3 longer to get Line Shack established partner, Bob Leighton, who has than we first thought.” provided some financial help and also Then the world changed for the assists in the administrative aspects he The Balentines. Bob became aware of a of the Line Shack operation. T Little else has changed at the winery, Wine Wine and Bob and Daphne continue to produce all the wines by themselves. Wizard Region “It becomes quite a chore when There are two distinct AVA’s we do the bottling, but Daphne is 1) Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon right there with me on every step,” Bob (Appellations) for the wines of Line Blanc originate from which famous French Shack Winery. All the Cabernet confided Balentine. “She does a winegrowing region? Sauvignon comes from the San Antonio good deal of the topping and barrel Balentine Valley AVA, a narrow strip of land maintenance and I really respect her (4 -5 miles wide) that runs northwest to 2) What is the relationship between Bob Balentine is 46 and originally from Salinas palate when it becomes time to test southeast on the Western side of the Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon? (of John Steinbeck fame) in Northern Monterey Line Shack Winery’s large demand for the blends. Whenever someone asks, County. He attended prestigious Cal Poly at San Luis Santa Lucia Mountain Range. The area is high in elevation (800 to 1300 feet) San Antonio Valley bulk wine that I am proud to say Line Shack really Obispo where he majored in Agronomy. provided him a is a family operation.” 3) When were the first grapes planted in Upon graduating, he entered the bag salad industry and contains a wonderful swing in vineyards prove that daytime/nighttime temperatures neat profit for his While Line Shack has no formal Monterey County? where he then encountered an Italian named Lucio Cabernet Sauvignon Gomiero, who subsequently became the world’s radicchio (hot/cold), so necessary for the high caliber tasting room, it can be found in sixteen See Page 7 for Answers. grapes can indeed (those little red pieces in everyone’s salads) king. development of good Cabernet grapes. He began states. The family’s original line shack Gomiero also owned a pair of great Italian wineries, flourish in Monterey to augment his cabin is still utilized for picnics, and was instrumental in developing Balentine’s interest County. winery’s income outings and VIP entertainment. About The Winemaker in wine as well as a European-oriented palate. “We were roommates for a couple of years,” by selling off all Bob Balentine appears content Owner/winemaker Bob Balentine recalled. “Lucio would go back to Italy and his unused wine. Of course, he kept with Line Shack Winery’s emergent Balentine is self-taught with would always return with a number of cases of his and the juice he considered the best for his status. Asked if he had expected Line other great European wines. I can honestly say that more than twenty years experience Line Shack Winery wines. Shack’s sudden popularity and level of period is when I developed my taste for red wines, and under his belt. He draws from his achievement, he Cabernet Sauvignon in particular.” long familiarity in the field of For the next two decades, Bob and his wife Daphne replied with the “Whenever someone asks, agronomy and, in particular, of continued their interest in wines and made numerous following.