This is not a commercial. But, admittedly, there are elements of working at Crushpad that are too cool to ignore. Of course, we've got our citified beauty and funk just outside the door, which is nice. And, every day, we get the opportunity to interact with our clients and wine lovers. I love that connection. At some wineries, the wine is created in large stainless steel vats and then you read about the results two years later in Spectator, Enthusiast or the Advocate. While the physical work is satisfying, it can be a challenge feeling connected with the community of people who actually enjoy the wine. Here, clients and the curious stop by all the time.
We recently hosted one of our wine plan seminars. These seminars detail each step of the winemaking process and how each decision influences flavors in the bottle. Generally, a group of between 25 and 30 sit down with winemakers and go through the hows, whats, whens, whiches and whys. It’s thorough, informative and fun.
However, for a lucky few, one night in June was truly special. Because the group was so small, we were able to sit around one table and talk all things wine, while sampling some uniquely styled whites. The intimate and pretension free two-hour session was another important reminder of why it’s great to be a part of Crushpad.
The first pour was an ’06 Ojai Sauvignon Blanc. Initially, the aromatics were surprisingly restrained. However, with time, bright citrus notes emerged with hints of ginger and a touch of flint. No nervous jitters or cat pee here. Instead, this Sauv. Blanc featured balanced acidity and the clean flavors radiated all things summer.
Ojai’s Adam Tolmach sourced his fruit from Westerly Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley. Tolmach feels he is able to achieve greater aromatics and tannic development by experimenting with severe crop thinning. Toward this end, during the 2004 and 2005 releases, he dropped twice the amount of fruit than the vineyard traditionally yields. For 2006, he experimented with cold maceration with the hope of achieving more perceived tannic structure. Tolmach also shut down malolactic fermentation early to preserve a racy quality. The wine was fermented in neutral oak and kept on lees until bottling.
Next, was the 2000 Chardonnay from Talbott. Vineyard manager and winemaker, Sam Balderas, pulls fruit from 2 different blocks at Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. He feels the different elevations of the blocks impart very distinct qualities to Wente clones 32 and 35. The fruit sourced from 150 ft. displays tropical notes while the grapes grown at 550ft. offer more acidity and minerality. The ’00 was aged 12 months on lees in 30% new French, medium toast barrels before an additional 18 months of bottle aging.
Emily was not a fan of the aromatics on the Talbott, but I enjoyed the complexity that hinted of lazy apricots and lamp oil. (Okay, Emily may be right. Lamp oil and lazy apricots aren’t descriptors that would normally send me sprinting to wine shop). Paul offered notes of wet autumn leaves. Autumn Leaves? I like it. It’s always nice to get a Johnny Mercer reference when breaking down the nose of a wine! This wine is moving into its twilight, but still offered acidity throughout to complement its weight on the palate. If you are sitting on a couple of bottles, you’d best drink them tonight.
Light, spring floral notes were found on the nose of the 2004 Alder Springs Chardonnay made by Roessler. I enjoyed the round citrus and white peach elements that lingered through the back of the mid palate. Alder Springs Vineyard is located in northern Mendocino County in the town of Laytonville. To help clarify the wine, the 2004 was kept at 40 for 48 hours after pressing. This resting period allows solids to precipitate out before the wine is racked into barrels for fermentation. The juice was inoculated with a blend of apx. 50% native and cultured yeast strains. Primary and full malolactic fermentation were done in 50% new, medium toast, French oak barrels and aged for 10 months. Aiming for lighter mouthfeel, the winemaking team of Wells Guthrie and Roger Roessler, decided to cut back on the number of barrel stirrings.
Our final wine was a white Rhone blend from Kindred. The 2005, was a blend of 50% Marsanne, 25% Rousanne and 25% Viognier. When first uncorked, the aromatics hinted at bright acidity. The wine was pretty chilly when first served, so the Viognier aromatics initially took a back seat. The body told a different story. Solidly structured, the wine picked up weight through back of mid-palate and then crisp acidity followed through nicely in the finish. As the wine warmed up, the Viognier played a greater role in nose and palate, offering nods to pineapple, honeydew and mango.
Kindred’s Roberto Garces sourced his fruit from two sites in the Russian River Valley. Saralee’s Vineyard stands 150ft. above sea level and is known for its cool climate, rich-sandy loam valley soil and rolling hills. Catie’s Corner is located north of River Road and east of the town of Windsor. After a 24-hour cold soak, the grapes were pressed whole cluster and inoculated with a cultured yeast strain. The Marsanne and Rousanne were fermented and completed malolactic conversion in neutral French oak. The Condrieu clone of Viognier went through fermentation in stainless steel. The wines were aged individually for 9 months before blending and bottling took place.
