Old Vine Field Blends in California: A review of late 19th century planting practices in Californian vineyards and their relevance to today’s viticulture. A research paper based upon Bedrock Vineyard, planted in 1888. © The Institute of Masters of Wine 2017. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. This publication was produced for private purpose and its accuracy and completeness is not guaranteed by the Institute. It is not intended to be relied on by third parties and the Institute accepts no liability in relation to its use. Table of Contents 1. Summary ......................................................................................................................... 1 2. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 3. Situational Context.......................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Written Works on California Field Blends ............................................................... 4 3.2 International Use of Field-Blending ......................................................................... 4 3.3 Known Benefits of Co-fermentation ......................................................................... 6 4. Methodology ................................................................................................................... 8 4.1. Historic Primary Document Research ..................................................................... 8 4.2 Vine Mapping using Ampelography and DNA Identification .................................. 8 4.3 Limited Survey for Qualitative Color ....................................................................... 9 5. Historical Research Findings ........................................................................................ 12 5.1 Context .................................................................................................................... 12 5.2 Creation of the State Board of Viticultural Commissioners ................................... 12 5.3 Wine Quality and Stability...................................................................................... 14 5.4 Commercial Stylings ............................................................................................... 15 5.5 Phylloxera and Variety Selection............................................................................ 17 5.6 Co-fermentation and Field-Blending ...................................................................... 19 5.7 Madrone Ranch/Bedrock Vineyard ........................................................................ 21 5.8 Eli T. Sheppard Journals ......................................................................................... 22 5.9 Sheppard to Hearst .................................................................................................. 25 5.10 Conclusions from Primary Source Research ........................................................ 26 6. Vine Mapping ............................................................................................................... 28 6.1 Bedrock Vineyard ................................................................................................... 28 6.2 Vine Attrition and Replanting at Bedrock .............................................................. 33 6.3 Bedrock Vs. Two Alternative Old Vineyards ......................................................... 38 6.3.1 Pagani Ranch ................................................................................................... 39 6.3.2 Nervo Ranch .................................................................................................... 45 6.4 Conclusions of Vine Mapping ................................................................................ 51 7. Survey of Current Field Blend Practitioners ................................................................. 53 7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 53 7.2 Vineyard Composition ............................................................................................ 53 7.3 Given Reasons for Field-Blending (From Survey) ................................................. 58 7.4 Winemaking Quality and Co-fermentation ............................................................. 60 7.5 Future Use of Field-Blended Vineyards ................................................................. 62 7.6 Conclusions from Surveys ...................................................................................... 63 8. Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 65 8.1 What were the Historical Reasons (Viticultural, Cultural and Practical) for Planting Field Blends in California? ........................................................................................... 65 8.1.1 Wine Stability and Improved Commercial Quality ......................................... 65 8.1.2 Reaction to Difficulties Posed by Phylloxera .................................................. 66 8.2 Bedrock Vineyard Plantings ................................................................................... 66 8.3 Are Variations in Bedrock Vineyard Varieties Random or Are They Explainable by Soil Type or Other Situational Factors?........................................................................ 67 8.4 How Does Bedrock Vineyard Compare to a Selection of Other Old Vine Field- Blended Vineyards? ...................................................................................................... 67 8.5 What are the implications, or any learnings, for current and future planting choices in California? ................................................................................................................ 68 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix ........................................................................................................................... 74 Appendix A: 2014-2015 Research Paper Proposal. ...................................................... 74 Appendix B: Developing Varieties by Wine Style. ...................................................... 78 Appendix C: DNA Identification Results. .................................................................... 80 Appendix D: Bedrock Block-by-Block Breakdown. .................................................... 83 Appendix E: Vine Age Differentiation. ........................................................................ 97 Appendix F: Field Blend Viticulture Survey. ............................................................... 99 Appendix G: Field-Blending Winemaking Survey..................................................... 100 1. Summary This paper attempts to answer some of the historic reasoning behind field- blending in California’s old vineyards (planted pre-1940) and evaluate what, if any, logic can be taken from that reasoning and whether it can be of help in todays California vineyards. Analysis of contemporaneous documents showed a large shift in vineyard composition in the 1880s as a result of replanting due to Phylloxera and widespread importation of new vine material from European collections. The Board of State Viticultural Commissioners (BSVC) was created in 1881 to evaluate new vine material and make recommendations to improve wine quality. Second, blocks from three old vineyards were mapped using ampelography and DNA analysis and evaluated for variety mix. All three showed similar patterns of field-blending in line with certain BSVC recommendations with certain differences between each site. Third, current winemakers and viticulturists working with field-blended vineyards were surveyed. Their responses indicated similar reasoning to that of the BSVC for why co-fermentation and field-blending created wines of better quality, and, that they would consider it with future planting. 1 2. Introduction It has long been known that field blends, or the co-planting of several different varieties in the same field, are a common part of many of California’s oldest surviving vineyards. However, the reasoning behind the planting decisions and the exact make up of these older vineyards has never been closely examined. Using Sonoma Valley’s Bedrock Vineyard as its primary example this research project aims to uncover historic reasons for field blending in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Northern California and what, if any, implications the practice might have for contemporary use. For the purpose of this paper, vineyards planted before 1940 (75+ years old) will be considered old vine as this term has no legal definition in the United States. Questions to be answered in the course of this paper include: What were the historical reasons (viticultural, cultural and practical) for planting field blends in California? How is the 128-year-old Bedrock Vineyard planted? Are variations in Bedrock Vineyard’s varieties explainable by soil type or other situational factors? How does Bedrock Vineyard compare to a selection of other old vine, field- blended vineyards? What are the implications, or any learning, for current and future planting choices in California? 2 The overall aim of this paper is to better understand the historical context of California’s