Our Wines / Spanish Varietals
Albariño
We are fortunate to be one of only a handful of wineries in California able to produce wine from this rare Spanish white grape varietal. As we do with all of our wines, we look to Europe for inspiration on how to style our wines. For this wine we get inspiration from the wonderful Albariños from the Spanish region Rias Baixas and we have been delighted with the results. Very dry and lean with subtle aromatics, this is the perfect wine to accompany shellfish and other seafood dishes.
2010 Albariño
Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
Technical Details Composition: Vineyard Sources: Production: 204 cases |
The Albariño grapes tolerated the heat spell in early September far better than
they did in 2009. We harvested the grapes on September 14th at a moderate
sugar level of 22.0° Brix with excellent acidity.
The grapes were whole cluster pressed, and the juice was settled then racked
into a stainless steel refrigerated fermenter. The long, cool fermentation produced
a wine with enhanced aromatics and rich flavors.
The aromas are an intriguing blend of kiwi, custard and cantaloupe with a hint
of a grass normally associated with Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate the wine is
medium in body, with predominantly melon flavors. The high acidity of the wine
provides for a long finish.
This is a wine that is easy to drink alone, but would also pair well with a variety of
shellfish, calamari, and seafood salads.
The Albariño grapes tolerated the heat spell in early September far better than they did in 2009. We harvested the grapes on September 14th at a moderate sugar level of 22.0° Brix with excellent acidity.
The grapes were whole cluster pressed, and the juice was settled then racked into a stainless steel refrigerated fermenter. The long, cool fermentation produced a wine with enhanced aromatics and rich flavors.
The aromas are an intriguing blend of kiwi, custard and cantaloupe with a hint of a grass normally associated with Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate the wine is medium in body, with predominantly melon flavors. The high acidity of the wine provides for a long finish.
This is a wine that is easy to drink alone, but would also pair well with a variety of shellfish, calamari, and seafood salads. |
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Click to View Past Releases
2004 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2005 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2006 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2007 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2008 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2009 Albariño - Santa Ynez Valley, Clover Creek Vineyard
2009 Albariño - Beso Del Sol - Dessert Wine - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
Tempranillo
Our interest in Tempranillo began during a family vacation to the Rioja and Ribero del Duero wine regions of Spain. This is the most widely planted varietal in Spain and is the core of its finest wines. Clover Creek Vineyard in Santa Ynez is proving to be an ideal site for this varietal. The fruit from this vineyard produce a big, rich wine, packed with flavor and moderate tannins. Like many of the Spanish wines, our Tempranillo is aged in 100% American oak barrels.
2008 Tempranillo
Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
Technical Details Composition: Production: 287 cases |
Having received the acclaim and positive reviews on past vintages, we’re very
excited to release the 2008 Tempranillo. This release continues to demonstrate
the suitability of this varietal to our region.
Due to a slightly warmer growing season in 2008, we harvested the grapes
on October 15th at a ripe sugar level of 25.5 Brix. As with the 2007 vintage,
all grapes were destemmed and 25% were fermented in open top bins. The
remainder was fermented in our Ganimedes stainless steel fermenter from Italy
which uses the pressure created from the natural carbon dioxide to pump the
juice over the cap of skins. This method is far gentler than physically punching
down the cap in a traditional open top fermenter. The tank’s cooling jacket also
allows fermentation to be conducted at a lower temperature. This combination
results in a softer, more aromatic style of Tempranillo which is later blended with
the heavier more traditional version.
Both lots were aged in 100% American oak barrels, of which 27% were new.
After nineteen months of barrel aging, the wine was bottled in June, 2010.
The wine has a medium dark ruby color. The aromas are of sweet red cherries
with hints of vanillin. The palate is rich with soft, juicy red cherry flavors. The
tannins are very light, and the level of acidity is perfectly balanced with the
intensity of the fruit.
Enjoy with veal, steaks and even a spicy Spanish style bouillabaisse.
Having received the acclaim and positive reviews on past vintages, we’re very excited to release the 2008 Tempranillo. This release continues to demonstrate the suitability of this varietal to our region. Due to a slightly warmer growing season in 2008, we harvested the grapes on October 15th at a ripe sugar level of 25.5 Brix. As with the 2007 vintage, all grapes were destemmed and 25% were fermented in open top bins. The remainder was fermented in our Ganimedes stainless steel fermenter from Italy which uses the pressure created from the natural carbon dioxide to pump the juice over the cap of skins. This method is far gentler than physically punching down the cap in a traditional open top fermenter. The tank’s cooling jacket alsoallows fermentation to be conducted at a lower temperature. This combination results in a softer, more aromatic style of Tempranillo which is later blended with the heavier more traditional version. Both lots were aged in 100% American oak barrels, of which 27% were new. After nineteen months of barrel aging, the wine was bottled in June, 2010. The wine has a medium dark ruby color. The aromas are of sweet red cherries with hints of vanillin. The palate is rich with soft, juicy red cherry flavors. The tannins are very light, and the level of acidity is perfectly balanced with the intensity of the fruit. Enjoy with veal, steaks and even a spicy Spanish style bouillabaisse. |
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2009 Tempranillo
Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
Technical Details Composition: Production: 243 cases |
We are excited to release this new vintage of our Tempranillo, a wine that has received great acclaim by both critics and consumers in past vintages.
The harvest season in 2009 was slightly warmer than normal. However, my goal was to keep the sugar levels relatively low this year. Therefore, the grapes were harvested on October 3, at a moderate sugar level of 23.5 Brix. The grapes were 100% destemmed, with 75% of the grapes crushed into our Ganimedes fermenter, and the balance into a small open top fermenter. The gentle pump over method with the Ganimedes tank, in addition to the refrigeration capability, resulted in a more aromatic and softer textured wine. This lot was then blended with the lot fermented in the open top tank, which had produced a more tannic and extracted wine. Both lots were aged in 100% American oak barrels, of which approximately 30% were new. After twenty months of barrel aging, the wine was blended and bottled in July, 2011. The wine has a medium dark ruby color. The aromas are a mix of fragrant violets, ripe plums, cherries, and boysenberry liqueur. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied with juicy, succulent flavors of dark fruit, and hints of sweet oak vanillin. The tannins are silky and well integrated with the body of the wine. This vintage shows great finesse and elegance, which is the direction I intend on taking our Tempranillo. Enjoy this wine with a variety of pork dishes, hearty stews and grilled meats.
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Click to View Past Releases
2003 Tempranillo - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2004 Tempranillo - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2005 Tempranillo - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2006 Tempranillo - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard
2007 Tempranillo - Santa Ynez Valley - Clover Creek Vineyard