F A L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2
Rodney s Vineyard
Table of Contents Harvest Notes Harvest 2009 2 Harvest 2010 2 3 Harvest 2011 3 Fall Pre-Release Wines 2010 Syrah, Sta. Rita Hills 6 7 2010 Syrah, Paradise Road Vineyard 8 9 2011 Roussanne, Camp Four Vineyard 10 11 November Wine Club Shipment Wines 2010 Grenache, Camp Four Vineyard 14 15 2009 Petite Sirah, Rodney s Vineyard 16 17 2011 Inspiration, White Rhone Blend 18 19 Epiphany A sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into reality or the essential meaning of something, often initiated by some simple, commonplace occurrence 1
Harvest 2009 In 2009, we had very normal weather leading up to harvest in September. We started off with average rainfall in February and March, which brought us good fruit set in May. The summer was on the cool side, which would have meant a late start to harvest if not for the fact that, in September, we received the heat spikes needed to shoot the sugar levels in the grapes up and kick off our harvest season with a bang. Except for a brief interruption of rain in October followed by a 3-day 90-degree heat wave, the weather was pretty exceptional on the whole! Our whites were picked prior to the rain, and the harvesting of the reds was only pushed back a week or two by the wet weather. The one dark cloud for this harvest season was the fact that the vines were still affected by the extreme frost of 2008 and produced a much smaller than average crop. Even though the quantity was still down, the quality of the grapes was high, which is really all we could ask for. Camp Four Vineyard Harvest 2010 We found ourselves in a very uncharacteristic and extremely difficult year here in the Santa Ynez Valley in 2010. The year started out with prolific rainfall, which continued well into the spring. With such a wet soil profile and having come off of three years of below-average yields, the vines developed a much larger crop. We also had an unseasonably mild summer, with very few days in the 90s and only a handful that were over 100, which initially led us into a later start to harvest than normal. Then came the most extreme heat spike we have seen, with temperatures hitting records statewide and 115 degrees here locally! Next came the rain! It consistently rained every weekend for five weeks, starting the first week in October and continuing into November. Some statistics indicated that we were well over double our average rainfall for October. Luckily we had two final weeks of sunshine in mid-november to finish out the season on November 19 th, a good two weeks later than usual! Due to the extreme weather, most of the grapes required more time on the vine than usual, and we really had to rely on our winemaking knowledge and 2
techniques. The Rhone whites were two to three weeks late and were influenced by the rains, with more than usual botrytis and much heavier crop loads (4-6T/ac). We performed more winemaking by utilizing more SO2, enzymes, and watching press-cuts. We were, however, very pleased with the final wines, which resulted in lower than usual alcohols, good acidity and perfumey aromas. Syrah and the other Rhone varietals took a long time to ripen this year, with flavors coming on very late in the season. These grapes also went through the five weeks of rain, so their skins became fragile, requiring them to be pressed off early in order to avoid macerating the skins with pumpovers or punch-downs. Overall, there was a lot more time spent in the vineyard this year to assess damage, and canopy management in order to facilitate ripening for this difficult vintage. This resulted in grapes with good color and concentration. Harvest 2011 After a significant frost in early April and a relatively cool spring, we finally saw some heat in early summer. This heat was just what the vines needed to gear up for a productive harvest. The yields were moderate to light for the 2011 harvest, which led to good concentration and wonderful flavor development. As we moved into the harvest season, we did not see the same weather as in 2010 or even as the rest of California. We had only one minor rain event the first week of October and a long, warm, ripening period to finish off the season. Although other parts of the state experienced severe spring frosts and exceptionally cool wet weather throughout the growing season, Santa Barbara County had some of the best weather in California and the grapes definitely showed it! Paradise Road Syrah were the first grapes to come into the winery, picked right before the October 5 th rain. This was a week or two later than average but the concentration and quality proved to be outstanding. We received our Stagecoach Syrah toward the end of October from the Napa Valley and spent a lot of time on the sorting table sorting out all of the botrytis (moldy-grapes) by hand. The later ripening varieties such as Grenache, Petite Sirah, Counoise, Cinsault and Mourvèdre were the last grapes to come into the winery in early November and possessed beautiful natural acidity and rich, concentrated flavors. With such beautiful grapes, we are excited to share the resulting wines from this beautiful 2011 vintage! 3
Fall Pre-Releases
2010 SYRAH STA. RITA HILLS 2010 Syrah Santa Rita Hills Harvest Harvest Date November 19, 2010 Harvest Brix 24.9 25.5 Vineyards Appellation Sta. Rita Hills 100% Mormann Vineyard Clones 877, Noir and Estrella Yield 1.8 Tons per acre Composition 100% Syrah Winemaking Barrel Aging 20 months in 66% new French oak barrels, 33% 2-year-old or older French oak barrels Cooperage François Frères, Mercurey and Ermitage Bottling Date August 1, 2012 Production 150 cases made 6
Winemaker Notes The 2010 Santa Rita Hills Syrah is entirely grown on the Mormann Vineyard, located in the westernmost appellation in the Santa Ynez Valley. This Syrah is unique from other Syrahs in our lineup, as there is a strong marine influence in the Santa Rita Hills appellation since it is so close to the coast, keeping temperatures cool. Cooler weather delays harvest, which allows tannins to mature, sugars to increase and, in turn, acids to drop. Soils on Mormann Vineyard are sandy, providing excellent drainage but leaching soil of many nutrients. This resulted in Syrah grapes that create intensity, bright acidity, but hold a lower ph than other Syrahs in the Santa Ynez Valley. The 2010 harvest tested winemakers skills with extreme weather conditions from early rains, to a long mild summer ending with erratic heat spikes, only to be followed up with an unusually wet October. The Mormann Syrah is typically some of the very last fruit to be hand picked because of the extremely cool climate. That, coupled with the wet conditions in 2010, meant we were kept out of the vineyard longer than normal so the grapes had to be handled delicately by our crew to preserve the fragile skins. Once at the winery, the fruit was hand-sorted, underwent hand punchdowns and basket pressing before being aged for 20 months in 100% French oak barrels (66% of which was new). Optimum drinking window is from now to 15+ years to experience its ultimate potential. Tasting Notes Our 2010 Santa Rita Hills Syrah has concentrated, dark, inky black and opaque colors. The nose of this Syrah entices with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, lavender, violet, graham cracker, spice and a hint of white pepper. With some age the complexity, fresh acidity and intense tannins will soften, adding to the elegant palate that will be discovered with this Syrah. From beginning to end, this wine will keep you on your toes with rich flavors of black cherry, boysenberry, blackberry and dark chocolate subtly combined with nutmeg, black currant and a suggestion of espresso. The three different clones of Syrah grown at Mormann Vineyard provide this wine with various characteristics. The 877 clone adds bright berry, the Noir clone adds structure and tannin, and the Estrella clone provides the underlying depth. Pair this medium to full-bodied Sta. Rita Hills Syrah with pork chops, leg of lamb or gouda and cheddar cheeses. 7
2010 PARADISE ROAD VINEYARD SYRAH SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 2010 Syrah Paradise Road Vineyard Harvest Harvest Date October 2, 2010 Harvest Brix 26.6 Vineyards Appellation Santa Ynez Valley 100% Paradise Road Vineyard Clone Syrah Noir Yield 2.2 Tons per acre Composition 100% Syrah Winemaking Barrel Aging 100 % Barrel aged for 21 months in 43% new French oak, 57% 2-year-old or older French oak barrels Cooperage Ermitage, François Frères and Meyrieux Bottling Date August 1, 2012 Production 150 cases made 8
Winemaker Notes Paradise Road Vineyard is the easternmost vineyard in Santa Barbara County and lies within the centuries old Spanish Ranch in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley. Planted in 1999, this vineyard is tucked away behind olive trees and California oaks consisting only of 15 acres of Syrah and 7 acres of Viognier. It is located on the highest shelf of the property overlooking the Santa Ynez riverbed and benefits from early morning fog, warm days and cool mountain nights. The soil is rocky, sandy loam that is iron rich and nutrient deprived, which results in tiny berries, small clusters and a very concentrated flavor profile. This Syrah was made in two small 1.5-ton fermentation boxes and for 5 days was cold soaked with dry ice to extract color and flavor from the fresh grapes. The box fermentation process lasted 14 days, each day punch downs were executed 2 to 3 times so that skins and juice would have full contact resulting in intense flavor and color. The must was basket pressed and aged in 100% French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. Tasting Notes The 2010 Paradise Road Syrah is a powerful wine, possessing a finessed balance layered with complexity and smooth tannins leading to a clean finish. Opaque purple in color, this Syrah has bold aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, iodine, terragon, black licorice, vanilla, smoke and baking spices. With a rich palate of well developed flavors, you will find notes of blackberry, plum, blueberry, espresso, baking chocolate, vanilla and smoked meat. Because this is a warm weather full-bodied Syrah we suggest pairing it with London broil, grilled venison, strong cheeses or dark chocolates. 9
2 0 1 1 R O U S S A N N E CAMP FOUR VINEYARD ~ SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ALC. 14.9% BY VOL. 2011 Roussanne Camp Four Vineyard Harvest Harvest Date October 3 October 14, 2011 Harvest Brix 22.7 25.0 Vineyards Appellation Santa Ynez Valley 100% Camp 4 Vineyard Block 22, 14 & 23 Winemaking Composition 87% Roussanne, 9% Marsanne, 4% Grenache Blanc Barrel Aging 100% barrel fermented for 10 months in 44% one-year-old French oak & 56% 2-year-old or older French oak Cooperage Rousseau, D Aquitaine, Mercurey, François Frères, Sirugue Bottling Date July 25, 2012 Production 150 cases made 10
Winemaker Notes We hand-pick all of the grapes at night for this wine to maintain freshness of the fruit and ensure that each cluster is handled in the most gentle manner before getting to the winery. Upon arrival, the grapes are whole-cluster pressed, a gentle process where the intact grapes are directly pressed while still attached to the stems; this process avoids extraction of harsh tannins or green-ness that may occur when the grapes are run through the destemmer/crusher first. The juice that is collected from pressing is then cold settled in tank for 2 days. The clean juice is then racked into predominately one and twoyear-old French oak barrels, where it will remain for 10 months. During this time, the wine goes through 100% malolactic fermentation, the process that converts the tart-tasting malic acid into softer-tasting lactic acid, enhancing the body and flavor, producing a wine with a soft round and creamy palate. Our Roussanne is blended with Marsanne to add a floral and fruity component while a small percentage of Grenache Blanc is incorporated to intensify the acidity and add brightness to the final wine. Tasting Notes Roussanne always tends to be one of the richer white wines in our lineup. Visually you will find that this wine is a beautiful golden straw color. Aromatically, nuances of beeswax, honey, orange zest, vanilla, nutmeg and spices will be found on the nose. Full and rich flavors of honey, vanilla, oak, citrus, cream, spice and dried herbs will be enjoyed on the palate. This full-bodied white wine can stand up to Cajun dishes, garlic chicken, smoked fish, cheese soufflé and creamy sauces. 11
Blair Fox Recipient of the André Tchelistcheff Award Given to Winemaker of the Year ~ 2008
November Wine Club Shipment
2010 GRENACHE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 2010 Grenache Santa Barbara County Harvest Harvest Date November 7, 2010 Harvest Brix 25.9 Vineyards Appellation Santa Ynez Valley 100% Camp Four Vineyard Clone Noir Block 7 Yield 3.2 Tons per acre Winemaking Composition 100% Grenache Barrel Aging 20 months in 74% 1-year or older French oak puncheons & 26% 1-year-old French oak barrels Cooperage François Frères, Mercurey, Meyrieux Bottling Date August 2, 2012 Production 125 cases made 14
Winemaker Notes Did you know that Grenache is the second most widely planted red grape in the world? This varietal has often been used as a blending component, adding body and sweetness to a wine, but in the past 10 years winemakers have started concentrating efforts on this lesser known Rhone grape as a stand-alone wine. The 2010 vintage was a challenging year for winemakers due to the unpredictable weather patterns during the entire growing season. It was filled with an early and extended rainy season that lasted well into spring, leading to a bigger than expected crop hanging on the vines. Because of a mild growing season filled with moderate temperatures we had a slightly late harvest that was capped off with one spike of extreme heat and followed by several weekends of rain. Not exactly ideal conditions, but we made the best of them with this great bottle of Grenache. We harvested these grapes in early November, which allowed for the brix to reach ideal levels. The grapes were hand picked from the vineyard and shortly thereafter were hand sorted at the winery into the crusher, at which time we bled off 10% of the juice. This allowed us to concentrate the wine as there was a greater ratio of skins to juice. After 12 days of hand punch downs during fermentation, we basket pressed the must and aged the wine for 20 months in 100% French oak, most of which were 500L puncheons. As a fresh red wine, the 2010 Grenache is ready to drink now through 2016. Tasting Notes This ruby garnet colored Grenache explodes from the glass with aromas of candied cherry, fennel, black tea, orange blossom, raspberry, clove, vanilla and nutmeg. Silky smooth on the entry, this medium to full bodied wine shows flavors of black cherry, raspberry, herbes de Provence, clove and orange zest, finishing with milk chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon spices on the palate. This Grenache is versatile, with rich ripe fruit, delicate acidity and firm tannin structure lending itself to be well paired with a variety of dishes including roasted pheasant, herb roasted vegetables, mild cheeses and hearty stews. 15
2009 RODNEY S VINEYARD PETITE SIRAH SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 2009 Petite Sirah Rodney s Vineyard Harvest Harvest Date October 22 November 6, 2009 Harvest Brix 25.6 26.2 Vineyards Appellation Santa Ynez Valley 100% Rodney s Vineyard Clone Palisades & Rockpile Blocks Q & R Yield 2.1 3.2 Tons per acre Winemaking Composition 100% Petite Sirah Barrel Aging 20 months in 40% new French oak, 60% 1-year-old or older French oak barrels Cooperage Meyrieux, Seguin Moreau, Sirugue, Mercurey Bottling Date July 21, 2011 Production 249 cases made 16
Winemaker Notes The 2009 harvest had relatively steady weather patterns, which provided the necessary lift the vines needed as they were still recovering from the tough 2008 frost-laden year. Petite Sirah is generally one of the last varietals to be picked, as it is one of the last to go through bud break after dormancy, a period of rest the vines need in order to accumulate energy for the next year s crop. Petite Sirah also has thick skins containing heavy tannins, so a long hang time is needed to allow for softening of the tannins. Because of the late harvest, the clusters did endure the brief rainfall that occurred; however, the following heat spike helped in drying out the vines, so no harm was done. The grapes were carefully hand harvested and delivered to the winery, where they were hand-sorted to pick out any clusters that may have had uneven development, were damaged during transport or contained unwanted debris. The special treatment doesn t stop there: the grapes are then gently crushed and destemmed and placed in 5-ton open-top fermentors receiving daily hand punch downs for about two weeks. Finally the grapes are basket pressed, a gentle process that frees the juice from the skin without crushing the seeds releasing undesirable tannins into the wine. After 20 months in 40% new French oak and 60% in one-year or older French oak barrels, this wine is ready for you to enjoy. Tasting Notes Rodney s Vineyard is planted on a natural mesa at a 900-foot elevation. Because of the elevation, the vines must work harder to obtain water and nutrients from the soil, creating grapes with rich concentration and complexity. Although petite seems to indicate small, it only refers to the berry size, certainly not flavor. Dark opaque purple in color, this wine has aromas of plum, blackberry, iodine, graphite, blueberry, nutmeg and graham cracker. This Petite Sirah is no shrinking violet, providing bold flavors of blackberry, plum, baking spices, black pepper, dark chocolate, black currant and vanilla. Enjoy mature, rounded tannins with a long chocolaty finish. Savor this big, rich, full-bodied wine with hearty red meats, strong dry cheeses or chocolates. 17
2 0 1 1 I N S P I R A T I O N SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WHITE WINE ALC. 14.7% BY VOL. 2011 Inspiration Santa Barbara County Harvest Harvest Date October 3 October 14, 2011 Harvest Brix 22.7 24.9 Vineyards Appellation Santa Ynez Valley 100% Camp 4 Vineyard Blocks 14D, 20, 22 & 23 Winemaking Composition 46% Marsanne, 23% Grenache Blanc, 23% Roussanne, 8% Viognier Barrel Aging 10 months in one-year-old and older French oak barrels, 8% stainless steel Cooperage Berthomieu, d Aquitaine, Ermitage, François Frères, Sirugue Bottling Date July 21, 2012 Production 300 cases made 18
Winemaker Notes Inspiration was created to complement Revelation as its Rhone white counterpart. Since its 2005 inception, the blend has been consistently made up of Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. This year, all varietals were grown on Camp Four Vineyard located in the Santa Ynez Valley, known for producing fully ripened, mature fruit because of warmer climates and loam soils. The 2011 harvest was one of the easiest harvests that Blair Fox, Winemaker can remember in his notable career, leaving him more time to concentrate his efforts in the cellar rather than in the vineyard, because of a long and consistent ripening period free from any erratic weather events. About 92% of the wine was aged in one-year and older French oak barrels, the other 8% was aged in stainless steel tanks, which keeps the wine fresh, bright and lively. Tasting Notes As with all of our white wines, we are aspiring for a crisp, clean and fresh wine. Marsanne is used as our blending base, as it is a sturdy full-bodied wine, lending its simple fruity flavors to create a solid foundation for our Inspiration. Grenache Blanc tends to yield higher sugar and acid ratios, which generally leads to higher alcohols with flavors and aromas of green apple. Roussanne is blended in to counterbalance Grenache Blanc s crisp acidity, and adds a honeyed richness. A splash of Viognier is included for its distinctive exotic bouquet and flavors. The 2011 Inspiration has a beautiful light straw color with aromas of white flowers, light citrus, white peach, apricot, honey, warm pie crust and vanilla. You will enjoy flavors of honeydew melon, citrus, lemon cream, baking spices, vanilla and apricot with a light touch of oak. This is a rich but elegant wine meant to be enjoyed with seafood such as lobster, rich fish dishes, clam chowder, pasta with cream sauces, pumpkin soup, and white fish with a beurre blanc sauce. 19
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Eli Parker, Founder & Proprietor Recipient of the André Tchelistcheff Award Given to Winemaker of the Year ~ 2006 2963 Grand Avenue PO Box 908 Los Olivos, CA 93441 phone: 866.354.9463 e-mail: wineclub@epiphanycellars.com www.epiphanycellars.com
PO Box 908 2963 Grand Avenue Los Olivos, CA 93441 phone: 866.354.9463 e-mail: wineclub@epiphanycellars.com www.epiphanycellars.com Printed on recycled paper. PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA PERMIT NO. 7