MAY 2016 WINE CLUB NEWSLETTER
Greetings from the Sta. Rita Hills, Since we re already into the summer season, I thought it would be pertinent for me to focus on one of your wines that is perfect for enjoying in the warm weather: our Grüner Veltliner. Grüner Veltliner is an Austrian white varietal not to be confused with Gewürztraminer (yes, we ve had people confuse the two I think because of the ü ). We tend to do a later stage leaf removal on this block to preserve those lime notes and not over expose the fruit. This achieves a leaner, acidic, and bright fruit profile as opposed to a ripe stone fruit profile. It s an interesting and unique varietal that is becoming a bit of a hot varietal in America. It s a very versatile wine that can work well as an aperitif or be paired with a wide range of cuisine from Japanese, Thai, to French. As far as the winemaking goes, there are some key measures we take with Grüner Veltliner that we don t for making other wines. For example, Grüner is fermented and aged in stainless steel seeing no oak contact and it undergoes only primary fermentation. I like to achieve a slow cool fermentation, retaining as much delicious delicate aromatics as possible and ensuring that the yeast don t metabolize too much too quickly. Then it will complete the fermentation to dryness (no residual sugar remaining). Once primary fermentation completes we drop the temperature down on the tanks and add sulfites to prevent any secondary fermentation (malolactic) from occurring. Stylistically I want to retain as much Malic acid as possible so that is why we prevent secondary fermentation to achieve varietal characteristics and a bright, natural acidity. It s definitely one of the more exciting varietals to work with. Next, we have the 2012 Willie Mae Pinot Noir. This wine is a blend of fruit from our Estate vineyards. What is interesting about this block is that you can stand at the top of the slope looking down towards the northern ends of the rows and see the three distinctive changes in soil profile ranging from a loam to sandy to a clay loam; It s probably why this block is so exceptional. Enjoy this beauty with mushroom linguine pasta. Finally, we have our 2013 La Cuesta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. With its juicy red fruit notes and full body, I love to pair it with a pepper rubbed Rib-eye steak grilled to perfection on a warm summer s eve. I hope to see you at the winery, especially for our summer concert series, Hip Sips. Sincerely, Lorna Kreutz, Winemaker
Sta. Rita Hills 2015 GRÜNER VELTLINER Winemaking Notes The grapes were hand harvested in the cool, early morning hours. After whole cluster pressing, the juice was cold-settled for 24 hours and then racked to stainless steel tanks for primary fermentation with native yeast. It was fermented to dryness and aged sur lie for 2 months. To emphasize varietal purity and regional character, malolactic fermentation was prevented. Tasting Notes This 2015 vintage is our second of this varietal. On the nose crisp aromatics of lime flower, tangerine zest and flint meld together for a bright and fresh first impression. It is made from 100% Grüner Veltliner grapes, a popular varietal grown in Austria. The palate offers pops of bold minerality and an initial mouthwatering acidity that evolves into a finish of fresh white peach and white Belgium ale. Pair with Vietnamese spring rolls or serve as an aperitif. appellation vineyard source composition aging alcohol ta ph 100% Sta. Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa West 100% Grüner Veltliner 100% Stainless Steel 14.1% 6.3 g/l 3.04 Retail Price $22 Club Price $17.60
La Cuesta Vineyard 2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON Winemaking Notes Located a few miles northwest of the town of Santa Ynez, the 12-acre La Cuesta Vineyard is one of the Santa Ynez Valley's most historic sites. Planted in 1973, this elevated southeast-facing property sits upon a bed of gravel and chemise shale. The combination of full sun exposure, low rainfall, long growing season, and porous soils makes this a great site for all of the Bordeaux varieties. The grapes were hand harvested in the early morning hours of September 5 and November 5, 2013 and stored in open top fermenters for primary fermentation, then pressed off to barrel for secondary fermentation. It was aged for 19 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels with 75% new oak. Tasting Notes This 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is complex with juicy red and dark fruit notes of cassis, plum, and blueberry. Texturally this Cabernet is medium bodied with a noticeable impression of American oak and soft delicate tannin on the finish with nuances of black pepper, thyme, and violets. Enjoy this wine with a charred gruyere burger or braised short ribs. appellation vineyard source composition aging alcohol ta ph 100% Santa Ynez Valley La Cuesta Vineyard 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah 19 months in French & American Oak, 75% new 14.3% 7.5 g/l 3.67 Retail Price $40 Club Price $32
Sta. Rita Hills 2012 WILLIE MAE PINOT NOIR Winemaking Notes This wine features Pinot Noir clones 113 and Pommard. Following harvest, the fruit was cold soaked for four days and then fermented in open tops with regular punch downs to extract maximum color and flavor. It was aged in 100% French oak barrels (40% new) for 18 months. Tasting Notes This beauty features sweet pomegranate juice with hints of fresh raspberries and fennel bulb on the nose. Initially detected on the palate are flavors of raspberry sorbet framed by refined tannins. The wine is very lean with nice acidity, and finishes with a satisfying cocoa powder note. This 2012 Willie Mae Pinot Noir complements a rich roast duck served beside a butter lettuce salad with a thyme vinaigrette. appellation vineyard source composition aging alcohol ta ph 100% Sta. Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa 100% Pinot Noir 18 months in 100% French Oak, 40% new 13.8% 7.1 g/l 3.38 Retail Price $50 Club Price $40
Visit our website for more events and details: http://www.lincourtwines.com/events/events HIP SIPS SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES Sundays, May through October, 2015 12:00pm - 3:00pm Enjoy Summer Sunday afternoons in wine country complete with live music, summer sangrias, and Hip Sips by Lincourt, while taking in the beautiful wine country views from the veranda. No cost to attend RSVPs not necessary 2015 LINCOURT GRÜNER VELTLINER, STA. RITA HILLS Retail Price: $22.00 Reorder Price $15.40 Case Reorder price: $184.80 + tax* 2 013 LINCOURT CABERNET SAUVIGNON, LA CUESTA VINEYARD Retail Price: $40.00 Reorder Price $28.00 Case Reorder price: $336.00 + tax* 2012 LINCOURT WILLE MAE PINOT NOIR, STA. RITA HILLS Retail Price: $50.00 Reorder Price $35.00 Case Reorder price: $420.00 + tax* *no shipping fee for case purchases Save 30% on re-orders of club wines. Complimentary ground shipping on 12 bottles or more of the featured club shipment wines. Orders can be full or mixed cases; offer expires June 24, 2016. To order, please contact the Lincourt Wine Club at (855) 248-1905, or wineclub@lincourtwines.com or order online using your member login at www.lincourtwines.com. Share your Lincourt experience online using #Lincourt # LC0516