Model Farm SCM Chard Release

Anybody else get some of the 2016 Model Farm Santa Cruz Mountains Chard? I’m a sucker for most anything from the SCM and I’m a fan of what Joanna and Sean are doing with Syrah, so figured this was a no-brainer. The fact it is made from an own-rooted vineyard is icing on the cake.

I got my order in - only two barrels. Sean & Joanna are wonderful people making great wine, looking forward to their take on Chard.

Just signed up and bought 6 chards. Hoping I’ll regret not having bought a case.
Will also just mention in passing that I bought these over buying Zin at the same price.

Haven’t tasted them, but would expect them to be superb based on the excellent Syrah and the Chardonnays they work on during their ‘day jobs’.

Yep, I am on board, too. Ordered 3 bottles. When we visited last year and tasted with Joanna alongside Jamie, I was impressed. Happy to support Joanna and the work she is doing.

Her 2014 syrah is a dead ringer for a Cote Rotie…

Awesome stuff.

Yep, concur. My TNs are below, Brigger, along with the bottle from last night. And, the Chards arrived today with UPS.

• 2014 Model Farm Syrah - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/12/2018)
  Served blind, same bottle as Brig’s TN. This was my 3rd bottle to date and this one really emitted that lovely freshly ground pepper aromatic. It lifts from the glass and is unmistakable. Some iodine is here, too. The palate is leaner built, with blue and red fruit and the same infusion of pepper, along with tar and incense. This is a lovely wine and with the acidity that is here, reflects the kind of style I seek in my syrah these days.
• 2014 Model Farm Syrah - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (10/8/2017)
  This is drinking delicious right from the pull of the cork. Medium weight. with the same black pepper aromatics that I recall from the winery. Game, red fruits, moderate tannin. No heavy texture, no black fruit, no oak to speak of. Lithe but complex and balanced.
• 2014 Model Farm Syrah - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (7/23/2017)
  Made by Jamie Kutch’s assistant winemaker, Joanna. This is good, with black pepper, olive game, roasted cherry, medium weight and good acidity. Bought a bottle to bring home and cellar for a while, as this would be a good blinder for a Northern Rhone event. Good stuff.

Posted from CellarTracker

I’m going to test drive one of these Chards next week.

Looking forward to your thoughts Peter.

What kinda angle are they working there?

Some special property of the soil?

The vast majority of grapevines are grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock. The thought is that grapes grown on original rootstock will be more intense and flavorful, and could have a longer life than their grafted counterparts. I had the good fortune to taste an own-rooted 2014 Rhys Horseshoe PN when I visited with Kevin a few years ago. It was the best wine of the tasting and showed more complexity than the grafted Horseshoe. I’m hopeful Kevin will have enough to sell with the ‘16 or ‘17 vintage.

I imagine they’re protected by a combination of isolation and fact that vineyard is planted in fairly well-drained soils.

-Al

This wine is outstanding. Huge aromatics that include white flowers, citrus oil, and a hint gunflint. Body is lively without being taut. In fact the natural generosity of Chard shows through giving this wine a nicely proportioned body that stays vibrant.
Perfect with pan fried salmon, purple broccolini, and pan pizza from Lodge. Very much a wine that has the acids to make it a great companion to food.

Thanks Peter. Although it sounds like it is already open for business, I assume this will only improve with some age.

Russ, Should have mentioned that I had a thimble full yesterday and consumed the bottle today. No real change though, except the last sip was the best as with any good wine.
I hesitate to predict age worthiness, but would estimate that this wine should easily age as well as the more current Rhys chards if that helps. The core structure is similar. But the wine is not at all similar in aromatics or flavors to either Alpine or Horseshoe. Perhaps closer to Bearwallow with the caveat that this Chard has better mouthfeel.
That said, I’m not sure my bottles will last too long.

Pete, thank you for opening and posting the TN. I appreciate this perspective. I am holding my first one until I can share it with a few of the local geeks. I want to see how others react to it, too.

Peter is a better note taker than I, he is spot on with the following comments:

Walks a fantastic line between cut & mouthfeel. Too often I see whites being rich & tropical or bright/lean without body. This has both.

Unprompted, wife said ‘this is good, what is it?’ as she refilled her glass. My parents are in town and they both tried, refilled.

I have already ordered more.

Bottle gone.

Will, you don’t post a lot of TNs so when you glow with one like this, it makes me pay attention.

I’m wanting to do one of these and tonight might be a good fit.

Thanks for the TN, pal.

Well that strategy will work, right up until it fails.

Catastrophically.

Until then, however, let the Good Times roll.

Sounds like we are in complete agreement But you are the one who convinced Frank to pull the trigger