Winery Update: Fire!! pg. 2 Wine Descriptions: Wines in Your December 2017 Shipment pg. 3 Article: House of Mystries pg. 4 Order Form/Upcoming

Transcription

1 Graziano Family of Wines Mendocino Wine Growers Since 1918 Wine Club WINTER (INVERNO) 2017 WINE CLUB EDITION Contents Winery Update: Fire!! pg. 2 Wine Descriptions: Wines in Your December 2017 Shipment pg. 3 Article: House of Mystries pg. 4 Order Form/Upcoming Wine Specials pg. 5 Winery Update: Fire!! (con t): pg. 6 News from the Tasting Room pg. 7 What Others Are Saying pg. 8 Calendar of Events pg. 9 Main Article (con t): Petite Sirah and the Red Grapes of the Rhone pg. 10 Trudi s Recipe: Roasted Duck Legs, Wings and Potatoes pg. 11 Greg s Two Cents: 2017 Grape Harvest pg. 12 In victory, you deserve Champagne. In defeat, you need it. Napoleon Bonaparte grazianofamilyofwines.com Petite Sirah and the Red Grapes of The Rhone In this edition of The Newsletter, we re going to explore the varietals that are associated with France s most southern wine region, the Rhone river valley, especially Durif, which is now known in the U.S. as Petite Sirah. Esteemed wine writer Karen MacNeil, whom we have quoted often in these pages, says of the red wines of the Rhone, Among the world s great reds, Rhones are the most untamed. Flavors dart around in them like shooting stars. There are whooshes of sweet earthiness and surges of smoky black fruit. The wines howling spiciness has no parallel. Rhones are the wine equivalent of a primal scream. When compared to the Rhone s wines, however, Gary Venturi and his Old Vine Petite Sirah the same varietals planted here in California tend to offer more mid-palate softness, and the howling spiciness has softened considerably over the years as we have learned to work with these grapes and their powerful flavors. More of an Oooooh than a primal scream. The major Rhone reds are Syrah, Carignane, Cinsaut, Grenache and Mouvedre. The Rhone wine growing region is divided into two parts, north and south; in the north, home of the acclaimed appellations of Condrieu, Cote-Rotie, Hermitage and others, only Syrah can be used. No blending is allowed in these wines. In the south, however, blended wines are by far predominate in appellations such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes-du-Rhone and Gigondas, with Grenache as the leading grape. Minor varietals in the south are Counoise, Muscardin, Terret Noir and Vaccarese, and to an ever lesser extent, Calitor, Gamay and Pinot Noir. These minor grapes are seldom used but can offer, where needed, aromatic and flavoring nuances. Many of the varietals we have explored in other editions of The Newsletter, especially the Italians, have very long histories, often going back hundreds and even thousands of years. But Petite Sirah, our primary focus today, only goes back to the 1880 s. There are actually two widely held versions of its origins: One, that it was created by Mother Nature. This version says that in the 1860 s, a French botanist named Francois Durif grew several varietals in his home nursery, including Syrah and a native rustic vine called Peloursin. At some point, the two vines cross-pollinated, and there was a new vine growing in his nursery. He named it Plant du Rif; the name was changed in 1868 to Durif by ampelographer Victor Pulliat. The second version states that Dr. Durif intentionally cross-pollinated the two varietals in an effort to make Syrah more resistant to powdery mildew. While the new vine was indeed more resistant to powdery mildew, the extremely tight clusters caused the grapes to be very susceptible to bunch rot, and in any event the flavors of the wines were such that there was very little interest in more plantings. Today, Durif, as it is known in France, has disappeared from the Rhone, and is only planted to very small acreage in Provence. continued on page 10

2 WINTER (INVERNO) Winery Update FIRE!! Fire on ridge in Redwood Valley I M SURE MOST OF YOU SAW SCENES OR HEARD REPORTS OF THE HORRIFIC FIRES THAT RAVAGED NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IN OCTOBER. MANY HOMES, BUSINESSES AND LIVES WERE LOST IN A VERY SHORT TIME AS THE FIRESTORMS GREW AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT WINE COUNTRY. Unofficially, all of the fires in Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties burned almost 250,000 acres and 5,700 structures and caused over 40 deaths. Here in Mendocino County, the fires were called the Mendocino/Lake Complex Fire, and these blazes burned over 36,500 acres and over 500 structures and caused 9 deaths. There were reports of the wind-driven fires spreading at a rate of 200 feet per second in some areas. Thousands of people were evacuated; some returned to their homes, but many had no homes to return to. In the past few weeks, we ve heard first-hand tales GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES Santa Rosa neighborhood gone continued on page 6

3 2017 December 2017 Wine Selections Blend: 75% Pinot Noir 25% Chardonnay Cases Produced: 220 Alcohol: 12.5% Total Acidity: 1.00 gms/100 ml PH: 2.85 Residual Sugar: 1.2% (Brut) Enotria 2013 Barbera Blend: 100% Petite Sirah Cases Produced: 610 Alcohol: 14.5% Total Acidity:.64 gms/100 mls PH: 3.40 Residual Sugar: 0.3% (dry) Saint Gregory Brut Rose Cuvee Trudi Cuvee #11 This is our second release of three sparkling wines produced from the 2011 vintage under the Saint Gregory brand. My wife Trudi and I are great lovers of sparkling wine, especially French Champagne. As I began to formulate the recipe for our sparkling wines, I looked to not only the tradition of Champagne but also to the tradition of sparkling wine from all over the world. To make our sparkling wine rich and unique, we decided to barrel ferment the base wine similar to some of the greatest French Champagnes like Krug and Bollinger. The grapes for our Saint Gregory Brut come exclusively from the beautiful high elevation Potter Valley at the head waters of the Russian River in Mendocino County. 75 % of this wine is Pinot Noir from the Naughty Boy Vineyard which is grown next to the Russian River, at the upper northern end of Potter Valley. 25% of this wine is Chardonnay from the John McMenomey Vineyard located next to the Russian River near the entrance of the valley. All the grapes were whole cluster pressed and 100% barrel fermented and sur-lie aged in neutral French Burgundy barrels for five months without malo-lactic fermentation. 4% of the Pinot Noir was produced as red wine and also aged in barrels for six months. This is where the beautiful salmon color and the very slight tannin structure comes from. The wines were then blended, fined, filtered and cold stabilized. The wine was then bottled with the addition of yeast and sugar with a crown cap and the bottles were laid to rest in metal bins for an amazing five and a half years on their sides, called tirage or sur-latte. Here is where the second fermentation occurs, giving sparkling wine its fascinating bubbles and its yeasty-toasty character. The longer the yeast are in the bottles the more they breakdown (autolysis) and the more yeasty, toasty character they give the wine. Also, this extended aging gives the wine extremely fine and persistent bubbles. After this aging the wine is placed in a riddling machine where all the spent yeast is moved into the neck of the bottle. Once finished with this process, the bottles are placed neck down in a freezing bath, the caps are removed and the yeast are expelled (disgorged) from the bottle and the bottles are filled (dosage) with a measured amount of sugar and wine, called the liqueur d expedition, and then corked and covered with a wire hood and a capsule to prevent the corks from popping out. Our Saint Gregory Brut Rose is not only a wonderful celebratory wine and aperitif, but also a great food wine because of its dryness, pairing well with soft creamy cheeses, roasted chicken and number of seafood dishes, such as grilled salmon and smoked salmon with crème fraiche and caviar. Once known as a peasant wine, this grape has grown to one of the most widely planted varietals in the Piemonte region of northwestern Italy, and is one of the most exalted grapes of this rugged mountain region. It arrived with Italian immigrants in California in 19th century and adapted well to the coastal volcanic soils. When produced in low yields and treated to barrel aging it can make extremely exciting wines. This represents our 23rd vintage of Barbera and we are one of the oldest continuing producers of this wonderful variety. Warm sunny days, cool nights and excellent exposure produce grapes that are superbly balanced and rich in fruit flavor. Four different vineyards in Mendocino County comprise this blend: Twenty eight percent is from Mid-Mountain vineyard located in the western benchlands of Redwood Valley, eight percent is from the Gusto vineyard owned by Maria Testa, on the white Pinoli soils of the Calpella district, twenty four percent, is from the Lake Ridge Vineyard farmed by Peter Chevalier located on an east facing slope above Lake Mendocino. The remaining forty percent is from the Fox Hill Vineyard located in the eastern foothills of the Ukiah Valley in the Talmage district. All grapes were hand-harvested at an average of 27 degrees brix in late September to early October 2013 and fermented in small open-top stainless steel fermenters for two weeks at 85 degrees F. The wines were made with a combination of both punch-down and pump-over fermentations. After a gentle pressing, the wine was aged in a combination of heavy-toasted French, American and Eastern European Burgundy oak barrels, of which 10% were new, for 40 months. As is the Graziano tradition, the wines are left on their secondary sediments in the barrels and never racked, thus leaving these sediments to nourish and protect the wine during its long aging cycle. The wine was bottled on November 4th This Barbera has a deep purple garnet color with complex aromas and flavors of juicy blackberry and red currant with hints of earth and toasty oak. Medium tannins and a great natural acidity lead into a finish that is clean and mouthwatering. This is a wine for immediate enjoyment or one that will age for many years. This Barbera is excellent when served with braised lamb shanks, wild mushroom lasagna, venison scaloppini, grilled Portobello mushrooms and hard-aged cheese. Graziano 2013 Petite Sirah Blend: 100% Barbera Cases Produced: 1,130 Alcohol: 14.5% Total Acidity:.72 gms/100 mls PH: 3.55 Residual Sugar: 0.3% (Dry) Mendocino County is the largest producer of Petite Sirah in the north coast of California and the third largest producer in all of California. Historically Petite Sirah, also known as Durif, is a natural cross of Syrah and Peloursin which probably occurred in the early 1860 s, discovered in 1868 by Victor Pulliat in the nursery of Dr. Francois Durif. Rarely grown in its southern France homeland, Petite Sirah has found a happy home in California, the largest producer in the world of this difficult-to-cultivate variety. Our Petite Sirah comes from a combination of three old vine vineyards grown on the benchlands of Mendocino County, the home of some of the oldest vineyards of this variety in California. 48% is from the Walt Vineyard grown on the western benchlands of Redwood Valley. 48% is also from Redwood Valley grown by Mike Arreguin near the Russian River. The final 4% of Petite Sirah is from the Hidden Hawk Vineyard which is also grown above the Russian River in the Calpella District. These grapes were harvested between September 27th and October 11th After crushing into open-top fermenters with a four day cold soak, the wine was pumped over and punched down twice a day for sixteen days before being pressed and aged in a combination of French, American and Eastern European oak barrels (10% new) for over 36 months to soften the tannins and add complexity to the wine. Our Petite Sirah was egg white fined and lightly-filtered and bottled on June 29th This wine offers deep aromas and delicious flavors of ripe blackberries, violets, chocolate, toasty vanilla, tar and spice. Untypical of many of today s Petite Sirahs, this wine is round, smooth and displays rich tannins that lead to long, lingering finish. Our Petite Sirah is a great companion with roasted meats such as lamb, beef or hearty venison stew which helps bring out the true flavors and rich structure of this wine. PAGE 3

4 WINTER (INVERNO) Article House of Mysteries It was only 1,938 years ago (79 AD) that Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the city of Pompeii in about 12 feet of solid volcanic ash a story we now know fairly well. What I did not know until my trip to Italy is that there were 15 vineyards within the city of Pompeii. However, it wasn t until 1995, amongst the tattered villas and forsaken courtyards, that they were discovered. Among these sites they also unearthed several mummified bodies of those who were most likely tending the grapes while the eruption happened. A year after the discovery, through city rehabilitation A small vineyard inside the city of Pompeii that was planted by Mastroberardino projects, a handful of the vineyards were replanted by the local and very respected winery Mastroberardino (a winery that has been around for 11 generations, almost as long as the invention of the telephone!). The grapes newly planted in these sites were not picked at random; Mastroberardino wanted to make the vineyards as historically accurate as possible. By looking at the frescos in the city, ancient farming texts, and the writings of Pliny the Elder (who, while trying to save friends and family outside of Pompeii also died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius from debris destroying his ship), they made some conclusions; the grapes that were farmed were those of classical Campanian origin. The varieties of Aglianico, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Fiano, Falanghina, Coda di Volpe, Piedirosso, Sciascinoso, and Caprettona were most likely planted. With this information Mastroberardino decided to plant Aglianico, Piedirosso, and Sciascinoso. The winery now produces a very small quantity of wine from these vineyards under a label eerily called Villa dei Misteri (House of Mysteries) to honor Pompeii. Currently, all of the proceeds from the wine go towards the restoration of the ancient city. I think this preservation of history is extremely honorable and I can relate to their position as I ve been trying to continue the legacy of grape growing and winemaking in the family with my father. Our Italian heritage is very important to us and we love Italian wine and grapes of Italian origin. This is one of the many reasons why we produce Aglianico and our Vesuvius blend (Greco di Tufo, Fiano, Falanghina, Coda di Volpe). These wines are made from these same varieties that were and now again grown in the magical city of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. So the next time you re sitting down and drinking a bottle of Aglianico or Vesuvius you can think about that ancient civilization and be thankful you don t have to sit underneath an active volcano to drink these unique and fascinating wines! The remaining collection of amphorae in Pompeii. Most would have held wine or olive oil Salute! Alexandra Graziano GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES

5 2017 Graziano Family of Wines - Order Form Wine Reg. Bottle Price Club Bottle Price SAINT GREGORY Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Mendocino Pinotrois Brut Rose 2011 Sparkling Wine # of Bottles Total $ Upcoming Wine Specials MONTE VOLPE Primo Bianco Primo Rosso Pinot Grigio Tocai Friulano Extra Virgin Olive Oil Vesuvius Sesso Sangiovese Primitivo Nube Bianco Tocai Friulano Late Harvest Montepulciano Negroamaro Peppolino Aglianico ENOTRIA Moscato Arneis Barbera Dolcetto GRAZIANO Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Petite Sirah Zinfandel, Mendocino Syrah Zinfandel Reserve Coro Mendocino Subtotal $ CA Residents - Add Sales Tax (7.375%) $ Add UPS Ground Shipping, Packaging, Handling: $30 /cs (CA, NV, OR, WA, AZ); $40 /cs other states* Total Amount Due: $ Name Address $ December 2015 Monte Vople Vesuvius 2014 StG. Pinot Noir Mendocino 2013 Graziano Zinfandel Mendocino.01 Shipping January All Enotria Wines February 2016 Saint Gregory Pinot Gris 2013 Graziano Syrah 2013/14 Monte Volpe Primitivo Order on-line at click on the little wine bottle that says order wine, that will take you to the storefront, where you can place an order. Graziano Family of Wines Tasting Room Mike Williams, Manager mikesw@pacific.net S. Hwy 101, Ste 3 P.O. Box 774 Hopland, CA Office (VINO) Fax info@grazianofamilyofwines.com Phone Credit Card # Exp. date Signature PAGE 5

6 WINTER (INVERNO) Winery Update (cont d) FIRE!! continued from page 2 from victims who visited the tasting room; one woman said both her mother and father lost their homes and her brother lost his livelihood when his workshop and all his tools were destroyed. We also heard of many incidents of emergency responders, fire, police, medical personnel and others, who lost their own homes while they were working around the clock trying to save someone else s home or life. The fires started as a result of high winds knocking down electrical poles and transformers in the middle of the night on Oct. 8; the high winds then fanned and spread the flames faster than anyone could imagine. Many only had seconds to get out, leaving possessions and even pets behind. Another ridge on fire in Redwood Valley Our winery is in Redwood Valley, as is Greg and Trudi s home, but fortunately were not in the fire s direct path. We are very thankful. It was an horrific experience for the entire region, as these photos demonstrate. Bob Meadows Gabrielli Winery destroyed The Next Wine Club Shipment will be in March 2018 and will feature: 2017 SAINT GREGORY PINOT NOIR ROSE 2017 MONTE VOLPE VERMENTINO 2013 ENOTRIA NEBBIOLO (Subject to change) Please contact us with any address, or credit card changes. GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES

7 NEWS FROM THE TASTING ROOM New Releases! Enotria 2013 Barbera Saint Gregory Brut Rose Cuvee Trudi Cuvee #11 Coming Soon in 2018! Enotria 2014 Dolcetto Saint Gregory 2014 Pinotage Graziano 2015 Carignane Fall Hopland morning with Waterfowl Winery The biggest news story of the year for our area was, of course, the devastating fires that began on October 8. Our area was under-reported in comparison to the fires that hit so hard in Sonoma and Napa counties. There were over 500 buildings that burned down in the Redwood Valley/ Potter Valley area, and we all know someone who has lost everything in these fires. As a company we were pretty lucky, with no structural damage. In Hopland, the fires did not threaten the Tasting Room, or downtown. I live 2.2 miles from the Tasting Room, and my neighbor and I did pack our vehicles in case we needed to do a quick evacuation. We were open normal hours, but our neighbors McFadden Farms (who are based in Potter Valley), were closed for several days. As things return to normal, we keep hearing more details of harrowing escapes, and neighbors helping each other out. I grew up in Ukiah mostly, and I remember forest fires happening but never anything like what happened in October. We are hoping for a normal winter, with good rainfall, but are wary of what the runoff might be like in the areas that burned. But there s no better way to lift the burden and disappointment but with a great meal with family and friends. Tis the season, and with that we return to our long awaited Sparkling Brut Rose release this month! Match that with our $.01 Shipping (6 bottle minimum), and you can easily send a gift or stock up on your favorites. The offer is good on our website, grazianofamilyofwines.com, or call the Tasting Room. Or better yet... stop by if you are in the area. Stocking Stuffers We have some new logo clothing items showing all four of our label logos and this time we have Graziano t-shirts and logo shirts in a woman s cut style. We also have back in stock the logo glasses, and logo corkscrews, which make great stocking stuffers, along with a humorous magnet or wine related napkins and coasters. BREAKING NEWS AS WE GO TO PRESS...The Tasting Room may be moving, not far though, most likely right next door, in our same building in the corner suite which is a little larger than our current space...stay tuned! Monte Volpe 2014 Primitivo Mike Williams PAGE 7

8 WINTER (INVERNO) What Others Are Saying... DECEMBER 2017 We recently received the following review by Dan Berger. Here it is with some introductory remarks by Greg - As the fires diminish and the harvest rolls on, we must not forget to acknowledge the accomplishments of our fine grape growers and our winemaking team. Here is an article from Dan Berger, one of the most esteemed and trusted wine writers in America. Again, Mendocino gets a well-deserved mention as one of the best Petite Sirah producers in California and Graziano is mentioned as one of its best. Notice that as usual how we are one of the most reasonably priced wines of the bunch. Our 2013 Graziano Petite Sirah received a Double Gold Medal in this competition. Greg Graziano. BERGER ON WINE: THE CHARMS OF PETITE SIRAH Of all the red grapes in California, perhaps the most extensively produced and yet misunderstood is petite sirah. This variety is planted throughout the state, makes a dark red wine and has a reputation (which once was accurate) for being so tannic that even its strongest proponents acknowledged that it would take the rust off a corral gate. Back in 1978, at a blind tasting I attended, two petite sirahs tied for best on the table the 1971 Freemark Abbey and the 1971 Ridge Vineyards, and articles that came out of that tasting gave a strong impetus to the variety, leading many wineries to try their hands at it. Almost all versions at the time were fairly astringent, however. And that prompted many wine merchants to alert potential petite sirah buyers that to best enjoy the wine, it had to be aged, preferably for a long time. One Los Angeles merchant had the temerity to suggest to me that the petite sirah I was thinking of buying was risky: You may not live long enough before the tannins subside, he said. However, petite sirah lore continued to grow, but they remained fairly tannic; experts suggested serving only young versions with char-grilled steak. Writer Bob Thompson once told me that petite sirah was best served with wild game, preferably still alive. Yet the variety had many other uses for winemakers, such as adding texture and dark red color to many red wine blends. It was particularly beneficial in giving zinfandel added depth. About 15 years ago, an enterprising petite sirah lover decided to see if the variety was popular enough to support it with a society. Using the name P S I Love You, Jo Diaz persuaded a few larger wineries to develop a society by that name. Today PSILY has more than 100 members, and more petite sirah is being produced as a varietal wine than ever before. The main reason it is more popular than ever is that winemakers have learned how best to grow the grape and tame the tannins, using its unique anti-oxidative properties as a beneficial trait. Still, some people have long memories, and for them, petite sirah remains a daunting experience or so they think. But there is such charm in the way quality petite sirah delivers great flavors for pasta puttanesca, pepperoni pizza and dozens of other intensely flavored meat dishes that it has found a happy home. As winemakers have learned to discipline the mid-palate of petite sirah, so have wine judges learned. I was on a panel at the Mendocino County Fair wine competition several weeks ago, and a most amazing thing happened. All four professional judges had our favorites among the 11 petite sirahs, and when all votes were cast, nine of the wines received Double Golds, the highest honor. It was a startling result, not only because of the grape that was being analyzed but because all of it had been from producers using the warmer Ukiah side of Mendocino County, which has always produced excellent wine from petite sirah but never with such amazing consistency. The nine wines were the 2015 Powicana Farms ($32), the 2014 Handley Vittorio Vineyard ($25), the 2014 McNab Ranch ($18), the 2013 Graziano ($19), the 2013 Toxqui ($26) and the 2015 Jaxon Keys ($28). All of these will improve with some time in the cellar, but to address the needs of today s younger buyers, who prefer not to age them and like them as youthful as possible, most winemakers now make them to be fascinating shortly after release. MORE FROM THE PRESS DEMOCRAT, THIS TIME FROM WINE WRITER PEG MELNIK - SAINT GREGORY 2015 PINOTROIS What s most impressive about this wine is its pretty fruit a collaboration of crisp raspberry and ripe cherry. There is great acidity buoying the wine. Finishes crisp GRAZIANO OLD VINE CARIGNANE This is a lovely Rhone-style red wine from northern California. The vineyard is about 60 years old, but the Graziano family has been making wine in Mendocino s Redwood valley since This is rich and supple, with spicy fruit flavors and just enough wood tannins from two years in barrel. 2 ½ stars out of 3 stars possible RECOMMENDED 2015 SAINT GREGORY PINOT BLANC Saint Gregory is also made by the Graziano family. This scintillating white wine bursts with berry and currant flavors, backed by just enough acidity to keep the energy going while playing a supportive role to the fruit. 2 ½ stars out of 3 stars possible GREAT VALUE GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES 2013 Enotria Dolcetto - 89 Points (Editors Choice) 2014 Saint Gregory Pinot Noir - 89 Points\ 2015 Saint Gregory Pinot Meunier - 88 Points\ 2015 Saint Gregory Pinotrois - 88 Points\

9 2017 Events CALENDAR OF EVENTS DECEMBER 9 th Hopland Second Saturday come see us! 9 th Graziano Wine Club Pick Up Party come pick up your wines, have a nosh, enjoy some wine and take advantage of big discounts. Bring your friends, they ll get your wine club discount! Open til th Tasting Room closed at 3pm 25 th Tasting Room closed 31 st Tasting Room closed at 3pm JANUARY 1 st Tasting Room closed, Happy New Year! 13 th Hopland Second Saturday come see us! 20 th -21 st Barrel Tasting 101 Two days of barrel tasting along the 101 corridor here in southern Mendocino County, with lots of food, music, sales and fun. Go to for details. 26 th -27 th Mendocino Crab Cake Cookoff and Wine Competition two days of crabby delights, highlighted by Saturday s crab cake cookoff and wine competion. Come, eat, drink, enjoy and then vote for the best crab cake and wine at the event. Go to for all the details. One of our most popular events. Part of the Crab, Beer, and Wine Festival, January 19-28th. Visit FEBRUARY 10 th Hopland Second Saturday come see us! PAGE 9

10 WINTER (INVERNO) Feature Article (cont d) Petite Sirah and the Red Grapes of The Rhone continued from page 1 So instead of its original home, Petite Sirah is now grown predominately in Australia and California, with some new, small plantings in Israel. The vine was brought to California like so many others, by Italian immigrants who brought cuttings with them stashed in their luggage and belongings. The first recorded plantings were in the 1880 s, and there were Petite Sirah vineyards throughout California, almost always in a field blend setting, where several other varietals, especially Zinfandel, were planted side by side in the same vineyards. Remember, these pioneers had to clear the land by hand before they could plant, so separated vineyards was not something they even thought of. Besides, these were not commercial enterprises, they were growing grapes so they would have wine to drink. The saying was of those early days, Who s going to consume the wine first, humans or acetic acid bacteria, which turned the wine to vinegar. But in many of the older wine growing regions, such as our own Redwood Valley, these early vines were naturally cross-pollinated by the other vines in the vineyard and have led, over the years, to a softer flavor and the harsh tannins were muted somewhat. Acreage of Petite Sirah plantings continued to rise to a peak of over 7,000 acres by 1938; this surge was attributed to the fact that Petite Sirah was immensely popular with home wine makers during Prohibition. After repeal, the varietal began a long, slow descent in acreage as other varietals became available, Ripe and tight clusters of Petite Sirah varietals which were both easier to grow and didn t possess Petite s high tannins. By the 1960 s, acreage was down to about 4,200 acres, and the nadir was 1990 when only 1,400 acres remained. But as wine growers and wine makers learned to manage the grape s natural tendency to produce high tannins, combined with the fact that remaining vineyards were 50 years old or more, naturally softening the wine and increasing its drinkability and eliminating the long cellaring, acreage once again began to climb. Today, Petite Sirah (sometimes still spelled incorrectly as Petite Syrah) is more popular than ever; by 2014, more than 160 growers and 900 producers were working with the grape. In 2013, California produced 61,700 tons, in ,300 and in ,000 tons, most of which is located in one of its earliest homes, the area around Lodi, where 32,300 tons were harvested in Locally in 2015, Mendocino County produced 2,000 tons, Lake 2,100, Sonoma 2,300 and Napa 2,700. Most of the wine was used in its traditional role of a blending grape, especially with Zinfandel, but the older vineyard wines were often single varietal Petite. Why is it called petite? Because the vines and their leaves look very much like its parent vine Syrah, and because the berries are much smaller that those of Syrah. These small berries create a high skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in more concentrated flavors and higher tannin levels. If the wine is allowed a longer maceration period, the tannins will become even higher. The wine tends to be very dark, almost inky, and is often used in blends where more color is desirable or needed. Older vines, as is the case with most varietals, tend to naturally produce both fewer clusters and softer profiles. Extended barrel aging is usually required to further integrate the tannins into the wine, and the oak often imbues the wine with notes of dark chocolate. The 2013 Graziano Petite Sirah you have in this shipment is 100% Petite from three vineyards in Mendocino County. You can see from Greg s Winemaker Notes on page 3, this wine was barrel-aged for at least three years (!), resulting in a dark purple wine with a full body and aromas and flavors of coffee, chocolate, dark berries and spice, with fully integrated tannins and a delightfully long finish. Personally, I d lay this down until warmer weather when I can once again unveil the grill, because to me, this wine screams BAR-B-QUE. Primally. But, if you can t wait that long, we ll understand. Happy Holidays. Sante, Bob Meadows December One Cent Shipping Is Back! We re gonna send you as much delicious Graziano wine as you could want or need, with a shipping charge of only a penny, so this is your chance to stock up for all your holiday festivities (and beyond)! And, as always, wine club members will receive their 25% club discount on top of that! Such a deal. This is a great way to send a Holiday gift, we can personalize with a gift note from you. (WHAT? YOU RE NOT IN OUR WINE CLUB? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? IT S SIMPLE, IT S EASY, THE WINES ARE DELICIOUS AND IT LL SAVE YOU MONEY!) Six bottle minimum on all shipping orders, please. Valid only to allowed stated within the continental U.S. Contact us to make sure you live in an enlightened state. GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES

11 2017 Recipes TRUDI S RECIPE ROASTED DUCK LEGS, WINGS AND POTATOES BACKGROUND: This recipe was devised out of the necessity to use the remaining parts of the duck when we buy a whole duck just to get the duck breasts. It INGREDIENTS: 2 duck leg quarters 2 duck wings, cut at joints and tips removed 2 large sized baking potatoes or 1 lbs other potatoes 4 whole cloves of fresh garlic 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme Enough extra virgin olive oil to coat skillet Salt and pepper is a better value to purchase the whole duck than just the breasts. It is a wonderful dish during these cold winter months, is easy to prepare and is a great companion to the earthy, tannic and acidic flavors of Barbera or Petite Sirah, which are featured in this winter newsletter. PREPARATION: After cutting up a whole ducks in separate parts - whole leg quarters, wings, and breasts - cut wings in two pieces at joints and remove wing tips and separate breasts. Save the breasts for a separate meal and save wing tips for making stock. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On the stove top heat to medium high a large cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven. When hot, add enough olive oil to coat skillet. Season both sides of duck pieces with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Sear first side of duck parts until very golden brown. Turn duck parts over and take pan off the heat while you cut the potatoes into one inch slices across and cut each slice into four. Arrange potato pieces, whole garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the duck parts, and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place in your preheated oven and cook for one and a half to two hours, occasionally turning potatoes for best outcome, which is tender duck pieces and crispy potatoes. Serves 2 to 4 people. With a larger cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven, the recipe is easily doubled. Enjoy, Trudi Graziano PAGE 11

12 WINTER (INVERNO) Greg s Two Cents 2017 Grape Harvest Greg Graziano As I close in on my 43rd harvest as a winemaker, the 2017 grape harvest is one I view with very mixed emotions. It was a very long, (we will be pressing grapes until November 15th), sometimes large and high quality harvest, complicated by one of the worst fire storms in the history of California. As many of you know, Napa and Sonoma Counties lost many homes, several wineries, several vineyards and many lives. What many didn t know was that Mendocino suffered a similar fate, though maybe not quite as devastating or widely reported. Scorched Redwood Valley vineyard and hillside The Mendocino County fire storm, called the Redwood Complex Fire, started in the late evening of October 8th in Potter Valley when wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour blew down an oak tree onto a PG&E power pole which started a grass fire which quickly expanded up the hillside between Potter Valley and down the hillside Our vines blown over by high winds! in Redwood Valley. It destroyed all or parts of four wineries, many vineyards, 50 or more homes and took the lives of 10 people. We personally, our vineyards (other than having a row of grapevines knocked over by the wind) and winery went unharmed, although several vineyards we received grapes from got scorched around the edges. We wish all who were harmed all the best and a speedy recovery. As usual, this growing season and harvest was a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly. After several years of drought, the rainy season had very large amounts of rainfall, with many regions receiving over 50 inches during the rainy season, when 30+ is normal. This was a mixed blessing because it caused larger crops, rapid vigorous growth in the vineyards and, in conjunction with cool temperatures in the spring, caused rapid mildew growth. We saw some of this in our own vineyards as well. Smoke haze at winery Another issue for us in 2017 was the very hot temperatures during the summer. We received a record 31 days over 100 degrees and many more approaching that. This caused sunburn on some of the white grapes and shriveled some red varieties, especially some of the dry-farmed vineyards or ones with little water for irrigation. Again, though, we had many beautiful, cool days between the hot ones, and our typically cool nights here are always a saving grace, with temperatures often dropping down into the 50 degree range. The bottom line is that we had a very generous harvest with very good quality wines. It really goes to show you how tough grape vines are and how important it is to be a good winemaker, and how necessary it is to have good tools and a lot of experience. Also, because we draw grapes from many different areas, vineyards and regions within Mendocino County, we have many things to choose from for blending, so we always release well-made, balanced wines with great color, flavor, concentration and elegance. The white wines are very full and fruity with nice acidity. The colors on the reds were very dark and the flavors are very ripe, rich and full. All in all, it s another harvest for the record books and another for my memory banks. Smoke haze seen from the Graziano home All the best, Gregory Graziano GRAZIANO FAMILY OF WINES