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Heading into bloom, and the heat this weekend is just what the Dr. ordered. It was shaping up to be a crappy and drawn out set period, but I hope a little heat will push things along. On a completely separate note, have other CA vineyard folk noticed that 2020 is the year of the super fast tick? Ti...

Clearing skies today. We had just over 3in of rain from May 11 thru yesterday (5/18). A nice top-up to the soil moisture after a dry winter.
Looks dry and warmer from here.

Paul

Mel – were you hearing Jackson Browne or some other version? 2010 was a tricky vintage. Almost as cool and rainy as 2011, it differed by two dramatic and short heat spikes – one in August and one on September 25th. I remember being at some pouring event outdoors in St Helena that day and thinking “...

Todd - thanks so much for this forum! There has been wonderful feedback and sold some wine

.

Paul

Mike - glad the Esquisto showed well. Ron - I have heard from a couple of people that they detect an effervescence on our wines when they are younger. I must admit that I do not notice it. We only rack once, just before bottling. I suspect it is a little trapped CO2. The 2018 Esquisto maybe a little...

I just perused the 10-day weather animations over at Windy.com and it looks like Northern California is in for a long stretch of cool, cloudy weather. Is 2020 turning into 2011 yet? This year's weather pattern is almost identical to last year except much less rain likely the next week (around 2in) ...

After a busy couple weeks I finally have the time to do my growing season monthly update. Our average high for April was 59F and average low was 41F. That is right on our average for the last 6 years and compares to Cote Rotie historical averages of 58F and 42F. Damn hot in the Northern Rhone yet ag...

Well things might just get a little interesting over the next 7 days or so. Rain and showers are predicted, starting tomorrow and will be around for most of the period. We have no bloom yet, but Pinot Noir especially is not fond of prolonged wet spells during the growing season. Y'all stay tuned. C...

Thanks for watching Pat. It was a very fun hour!

Paul

Thanks again Matt.

Paul

Paul and Jackie dropped my 6-pack off this afternoon. Working on the last few ounces of the 2018 Alturas at hour 3. Savory nose, bright, fruity, great structure, very grippy give it a huge decant, order more. 22D9A566-F43B-429D-96DD-EACAB7302DD7.jpeg Brian Glad it showed well. I had meant to mentio...

Thanks so much to everyone who joined the call. A very fun event. Special thanks to Brig for organizing and support from Todd and Frank.
Great to try Larry's wine again. It has been a few years. Fabulous stuff!

Paul

Alan, Paul,

With the 2013 I would just pop'n'pour or go into a decanter just before the Zoom conf starts. It is a more open vintage. Good if you could watch development over a couple hours.

Paul

The Halcon tasting will cover the wines in our BerserkerDay/Quarantine offer (https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=85&t=168178) plus 2018 Roussanne. Hopefully some folks picked up the Roussanne in the fall as long sold out (only bottled 27 cases). Paul If anyone is drinking along I ...

The Halcon tasting will cover the wines in our BerserkerDay/Quarantine offer (https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=85&t=168178) plus 2018 Roussanne. Hopefully some folks picked up the Roussanne in the fall as long sold out (only bottled 27 cases). Paul If anyone is drinking along I ...

Thanks Blair!

Paul

Thanks Mel.

Paul

Thanks Rama.

Paul

Thanks Dave and Jeff!

Paul

The Halcon tasting will cover the wines in our BerserkerDay/Quarantine offer (viewtopic.php?f=85&t=168178) plus 2018 Roussanne. Hopefully some folks picked up the Roussanne in the fall as long sold out (only bottled 27 cases).

Paul

Been a while since I posted - we had below zero temps the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The 2nd was the coldest with 4 hrs below freezing and a low of 29F. Most of our buds were pretty tight at the time so only a few dozen buds, which were close to leafing out, were fried. As of today most buds are at the penci...

Seth M wrote: ↑
April 12th, 2020, 11:38 am
In for a 6pack. Email sent.

Thanks Seth!

Paul

Doug Uno wrote: ↑
April 10th, 2020, 11:41 am
"...the 2017 is super-expressive and really delicious today."

Is he referring to 2018 not the 2017?

I think that is a typo. Should be 2018. I will change assuming that.

Paul

I thought some folks may be interested in the Vinous (Antonio) reviews: Halcón's 2018 Esquisto, 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah, is racy, savory and so expressive. I would give it a year or two in bottle to allow some of the edges to soften, but there is so much going on here. Dried flower...

Are Jamets still worthy of getting given the price and change in style? not for me. I quit buying after 2013. And for me, immediate consumption of a Jamet just gets me grape juice, or undifferentiated "Syrah" character. It's only with age that it becomes something special. John One advantage of bei...

MikeL238 wrote: ↑
April 4th, 2020, 9:07 am
Are Jamets still worthy of getting given the price and change in style?

Mike

Did I miss a memo on the change of Jamet style? I only have tasting experience back to the 1999 vintage (and up to 2015 from barrel), but no change in style that I have observed.

Paul

c fu wrote: ↑
April 3rd, 2020, 10:16 pm
from my most recent try - 2016 is super shut down and closed, 15 is more open.

Thanks Charlie.

Paul

A local restaurant is selling Jamet for reasonable prices. They have both 2015 and 2016 vintages. Which one is drink better at this point?

Paul

Shipment is in the cellar, having gotten through garage quarantine, and now waits for the expiration of the 21 day cellar rest. Looking forward to checking out Yorkville Highlands Syrah. Paul - which bottling would you suggest I try first? David As mentioned above, I suggest Mourvedre->Esquisto->El...

Merrill Lindquist wrote: ↑
April 1st, 2020, 12:26 pm
My Cab has not broken, but the lone Thompson Seedless that had leafed out got totally fried. That's exactly what the leaves look like: like they had been thrown into a pan with oil.

Merrill

Do you know what temp you got down to? And for how long?

Paul

I was at the UPS store for another reason, and they informed me my shipment from Halcon was there. I was lucky, as I received no tracking info and the shipment doesn’t show in my UPS account. Others may want to check on theirs. I had the exact same issue with my Cabot shipment. In fact, that’s why ...

Thanks for the orders Jim and Dave!

Paul

Below are the 2018 temps. A generally average year with a rather cool May. https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/91388591_10158305500294656_7489227825149378560_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=sdD6P60RqXAAX_F0KiI&_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.xx&oh=388af4804468a48faac6895b4dea0ad2&oe=5EA70C...

Marc

Our 2013 Petite (and 2014) utilized 1/3 whole-cluster and around 25% new oak. After those first two years we moved to 50% whole-cluster and zero new oak. To be honest Petite has enough chocolaty character and in my opinion does not need new oak.

Paul

This comment struck me, as I have said that same thing about Yorkville Highlands. I always mean it in a positive, exciting way. I love it when I walk through High Rock Ranch and every few rows you are likely to see a different color, texture or type of soils. The challenging soils in YH and on the ...

Doug Uno wrote: ↑
March 22nd, 2020, 10:47 pm
Paul,

What is your “recommended sequence” for the 2016’s?

Thanks

Petite->Elevacion->Alturas->Esquisto

Paul

Doug Uno wrote: ↑
March 22nd, 2020, 8:04 pm
Paul and Jackie,

Thanks for the great customer service! Looking forward to receiving and trying the wines!

Thanks Doug. Wine shipping tomorrow (Mon 3/23).

Paul

Brent S wrote: ↑
March 22nd, 2020, 4:23 pm
Jeb Dunnuck review these yet? Curious how they related to the lofty numbers he gave to Myriad’s Syrah from the same vineyard.

Hopefully he will taste in May.

Paul

Paul and Jackie dropped my 6-pack off this afternoon. Working on the last few ounces of the 2018 Alturas at hour 3. Savory nose, bright, fruity, great structure, very grippy give it a huge decant, order more. 22D9A566-F43B-429D-96DD-EACAB7302DD7.jpeg Brian Glad it showed well. I had meant to mentio...

Why would a 'geological mishmash' be bad for wine grapes?? And would not a key difference between the Anderson Valley and the Yorkville Highlands be the climate?? There are really two articles on JR s website on this subject and I read the other one at first, only just now discovering the one cited...

Paul, Didn’t know about Cerise having the same composition as yours, but interesting given that it has been my favorite vineyard over the years. Do you know if Roma’s and Deer Meadows and Demuth are the same, too? Quite like wines from those as well. Great mention for your Syrah! Along with the Val...

Funny you mention that because I had the opportunity to visit both Kiser and Halcon vineyards on the same day a few years back and its interesting how these two sites so far removed from one another can have such similar soil compositions. Is it from the Highlands being land that was uplifted by vo...

This post is a little self-serving. I do not usually post directly concerning our wines but I thought comments from Jancis Robinson in her Financial Times were very interesting. The article is here - https://www.ft.com/content/697117ac-67ef-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75?fbclid=IwAR0-Qdl5h-dvj1bt3fQrmMDtVel...

Michael Sterling wrote: ↑
March 18th, 2020, 6:12 pm
Paul’s wines are killer! The Alturas we’ve opened recently are without question the best domestic Syrahs I’ve had (Also, the Mourvèdre is absolutely fantastic!) Looks like the word is out and reminds me that I need to order some more.

Thanks Michael. You make so damn fine wine yourself!

Paul

Nick Gangas wrote: ↑
March 18th, 2020, 1:24 pm
Can I get 1 ?

Of course Nick. I will email you.

Paul

M a x S w o m l e y wrote: ↑
March 17th, 2020, 8:40 pm
I sure hope my email got there in time!

No problem Max. Thanks for the order.

Paul

Rick Bollig wrote: ↑
March 17th, 2020, 5:49 pm
1 please, e-mail sent.

Thanks Rick

Paul

Thanks for the order David and the kind words Robert.

Paul

K John Joseph wrote: ↑
March 16th, 2020, 12:50 pm
I'm in for one too. Couple of ding dongs on this site said some very nice things about these wines and lordy, the price is right.

Thanks so much John.

Paul

Thanks Brian and Robert!

Paul

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