GOLD MEDAL WINE CLub’s Volume 23 Number 23 Select, Ultra Premium, Collectable Wines from California’s Best Winemakers It’s all about history when it comes to Bien both 2005 and 2006 that were mostly given away to Nacido Vineyards. family and friends. The original Bien Nacido Vineyard has become Then the 2007 vintage came along! the iconic Central Coast vineyard over the past forty “From the beginning we all knew this would be years due to its superb tradition of producing a special vintage, capable of producing some really excellent fruit and the continuing dominance of great wines. The fruit was exceptional and everyone wines that have been produced from those grapes. knows that great wines begin with great fruit.” As The actual vineyard is large, comprising the winemaking process was eventually completed, more than two thousand acres. It is nestled almost the Miller family realized it was the correct time to midway up the Santa Maria Valley, just off launch their new Bien Nacido Vineyards label. Highway 101, a few miles southeast of the City of “We had always agreed that we would only make Santa Maria. Its location is considered a cool wines under this label that were truly exceptional,” growing climate, ideal for growing Burgundian Miller continued. “The 2007 vintage was all that and Rhône grapes such as Pinot Noir, and more. We only made around 150 cases of the Chardonnay, Syrah and Viognier. Its actual name wine, and it certainly caught everyone’s attention.” is Bien Nacido Vineyards of Rancho Tepusquet, The first releases of the new Bien Nacido a testimony to its rich heritage that traces back Vineyards made their debuts in the autumn of almost a century and a half. 2010. As predicted, these wines were immediately It all began as a Mexican land grant showered with plaudits and high scores. way back in 1837. The Mexican governor of The Miller family also decided on a Alta, California, one Juan Batista Alvarado, marketing strategy for the label that was deeded the property to Tomas Olivera as different from their other wineries. Bien Nacido part of a 9,000 acre tract from the Santa Vineyards became an on-premise brand, and Maria Mesa ranging upward to the San was only made available to highest caliber Rafael Mountains. The land remained in restaurants. These restaurants were delighted the Olivera Family for many generations with the prospects and immediately lavished until it was reduced in size to a little over high praise on the wines. 1,400 acres. There is no telling how many cases of In 1969, the enterprising Miller each wine will be produced at Bien Nacido Family bought the Bien Nacido Ranch and Vineyards. subsequently turned it into one of “Our intent is only to produce the California’s really great vineyard locations. finest wines we can, and we never know In the beginning, the family’s intention was until we finish the winemaking process to farm the property and sell the grapes to just how good the wines will be. Some high caliber wineries for their usage. For the vintages will be more, some less. It is our next half century, wineries such as Qupé, quality-only commitment to our family Au Bon Climat, Fess Parker, Gary Farrell, and customers, so we are bound by what is Byron, Foxen, Longoria and more than 30 actually produced,” Miller added. other top wineries racked up scores of In this day of commercialized wines Gold Medals and high marks for their and wineries, such intent is definitely a vineyard-designated wines. breath of fresh air. Since Bien Nacido In 2010, the Millers decided to Vineyards has no wine club, no specific produce some wines for themselves under the broad base marketing and only a small cadre name Bien Nacido Vineyards. of top notch restaurants as customers, this month’s “It seemed like the smart thing to do,” remarked Platinum Series selection is a boon to our Platinum Nicholas Miller, 32, the family’s spokesman. “After all, members. This is the first time Bien Nacido Vineyards many wineries had been producing extraordinary wines has been offered for sale outside of restaurants. from our fruit with incredible success. We wanted to see It is a tribute to the Miller family that they have if we could duplicate their experiences.” chosen this expression as a means of offering their finest Nicholas Miller had already experimented with wines to more consumers. We welcome this exceptional fruit from some particular blocks within the Bien Pinot Noir to our regal family of fine wines. Nacido Vineyard. He had produced Pinot Noirs in Enjoy! The road to great wine begins at your door. add a plus! bottle asting Notes TT 92 POINTS Plus! wines are all highly-rated, very small production wines with to availabilityyour too next limited for wineall regular club delivery! members to receive. + CELLAR SELECTION Only Plus! Program participants receive these rare gems! -Wine Enthusiast The Plus! Program automatically adds on a special wine to TOP 60 CALIFORNIA each regular scheduled wine delivery, or as often as you like! PINOT NOIRS Don’t miss out on another shipment! -Allen Meadows’ Burghound Join the Plus! Program today! $35-$45 each delivery Just 350 Cases Produced This month’s Platinum Series featured Plus! wine: The Bien Nacido Vineyards 2009 Pinot Wesley Ashley 2011 Intelligent Design Cuvée Noir hails from the winery’s original vineyard GOLD MEDAL WINNER site in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa -Sunset International Wine Competition Barbara County, just 16 miles from the Just 388 Cases Produced! Pacific Ocean. This family vineyard is Learn more at: www.GoldMedalWineClub.com/plus or Call 1-800-266-8888 renowned for producing world-class Pinot Noirs – in fact, the vineyard itself was named one of the Top 25 Vineyards in the World by Wine & Spirits magazine. The 2009 Pinot Noir is an exceptionally successful vintage from the Bien Nacido Vineyards, offering an overtly fruity and spicy nose of cherries, cloves, and cola and a luscious palate of full-bodied blackberry-blueberry flavors, with nice depth, excellent structure and great intensity. Bien Nacido Vineyards wines have Dear Platinum Series Members, never been available for sale outside of restaurants, so this is an incredibly special Thank you for putting our family’s 2009 Bien Nacido Vineyards offering for our Platinum Series members. Pinot Noir on your dinner table. Bien Nacido is the most vineyard Aged 16 months in oak. 100% Pinot Noir. designated in the world, but this bottle is our own Estate take on sheparding the grapes through this process. Enjoy now until 2018. Bien Nacido Vineyards was planted by my father (Stephen Miller) and uncle (Bob Miller) back in 1973. About half of this bottling of 2009 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir comes from those original plantings of now 40 year-old, own rooted (ungrafted) Pinot Noir. When they planted Bien eorders Nacido, this was the beginning of the modern day Central Coast wine industry and at the time, it was established fact that you could not make great Pinot Noirs in California. Early on, they had to package up the R Bien Nacido Vineyards Pinot Noir with Chardonnay. When wineries came to purchase Chardonnay, R they made them take the Pinot Noir fruit as well. 2009 Pinot Noir These days, there isn’t enough Bien Nacido Pinot Noir to go Retail Price at the Winery: $57.00 around, so we only carve off a little bit for our own Estate program. For this year’s release, we only made 350 cases of our 2009 Bien Nacido Vineyards Pinot Noir. As a Platinum Series Member, Save 14% - 21% Online! Enjoy! Thank you, GoldMedalWineClub.com Nicholas Miller 1-800-266-8888 Bien Nacido Vineyards Winemaker & 5th Generation California Farmer These special discounts are available only to club members, gift recipients and gift givers. Remember to login to see your prices online! *2 bottle min. per wine, per order. Shipping and tax (if applicable) not included in above prices. Call for details. PlatinUM SSERIES ISIS PRESENTED BY GOLD MEDAL WWINEINE CCLUB,, SSanta BBarbara,, CACALIFORNIA 1-800-266-88881-800-266-8888.