According to my CT, an early November buy with a late December delivery … ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Saw the email and thought…this looks like it will be expensive.
Was really hoping to limit this to a few whites and roses due to space/budget limits in the wake of Carlisle, Rivers-Marie and Berserker Day, but I am unfortunately intrigued by the description of the “wedding” wine. Anybody know anything about that one?
I will write about this at greater length on the release but the short answer is that it is the wine I made for my wedding last summer but with a little more time in barrel. It is composed of two barrels each Bedrock, Old Hill and Pagani with the Bedrock element coming from my two favorite blocks on the ranch. Figured it was the perfect opportunity to put together a little Sonoma Valley super-cuvee, particularly from a vintage where I think the wine will provide us enjoyment over many anniversaries. Cheers!
Always look forward to your notes on the releases. How would you describe 2019s in barrel thus far compared to the 2018s?
Honestly, on the reds it is a bit hard to say as many are still going through ML- it has been a cold (and too dry) of winter so far. 2019s in tank all seemed a bit more forward, and immediately generous than the 2018s but without the ripeness verging on overripeness we saw in 2017 due to small crops and heat waves. That said, I don’t like to really evaluate until after ML is done, particularly in 2019 where malic levels were generally quite high which means the finished wines will be quite different beasts than they were in tank. The whites really range, for instance the 2019 Compagni Portis is one of the brightest and most elegant versions of the wine we have made while SBs tend towards more richness in the vein of 2015. There is also some variability region to region in '19 whereas '18 was pretty darn excellent everywhere. That said, ask me again in three months and I might have a completely different answer!
Thanks, Morgan!!!
So now we have a Sonoma Valley / Bedrock power trio blend of Bedrock/Old Hill/Pagani to compare to the RRV / Carlisle Piner-Olivet blend of Carlsle/Montafi/Papera. Interesting that in each case all of the vineyards in the blend are within a few miles of one another. Hope this isn’t just a one time production!
Should be interesting, although it sounds like this Bedrock wine consists of the best blocks of those vineyards, while the Carlisle one is more of a value play with lots that don’t make the single vineyard wines (and priced below the SVDs accordingly).
Curious on Bedrock pricing.
So you’re saying it’s like the Emerson, Lake & Palmer of wines? ![[bow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/3/34fe6dfbb5b9ca18529c11cea0b49f72cb1f17d5.gif "bow"){kind=small}
Dont. Sleep. On. Gambrels.
And if you won’t take my advice then at least give me every damn bottle from your allocation. ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker"){kind=small}
Bedrock release date still a week away but Desire Lines release date is today! In for 6 Cole Riesling and 3 Griffin’s Lair (not a cab drinker, but I’ll bet it’s a good one)
In for a mix of all 3. Have really enjoyed all the wines I’ve opened from Desire Lines (and Morgan always speaks very very highly of them, obviously)
I was curious about the Desire Lines 2018 LICHAU HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON, PETALUMA GAP.
No other winery appears to make a wine from that vineyard (at least nothing in CT).
Anyone have any experience with Lichau Hill?
This is all I can find: http://www.everyvine.com/org/Lichau_Hill_Vineyards_/vineyard/Lichau_Hill_Vineyards/
Not familiar with anything under the “wine history” list…but looks like one might be Sanglier Cellars: https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/sanglier-cellars-2015-left-tusque-cabernet-sauvignon-sonoma-county/
Alan, we picked up in 2018 a block at Lichau Hill that used to go to Sanglier Cellars. Glenn Alexander has a good nose for vineyards so we were excited when we got the offer. He owned Bacchus Vineyard Management, which farmed Griffin’s Lair (among a bunch of other vineyards), and Lichau Hill too. He’s since sold Bacchus to a larger vineyard management company. We figured that if he liked the vineyard well enough to take the fruit for his own label, it must be worth a look. Seemed like a good area too, being just uphill from Gap’s Crown, across the canyon from Sun Chase, and kind of around the corner from Steiner Ranch.
But yeah, we were flying blind a bit when we got the fruit. We didn’t really know what the wine would look like. The owners are the sweetest folks, and joke that they’ve been asked countless times why they haven’t budded the Cabernet over to Pinot Noir. We’re glad they didn’t, as I really love the vineyard - it’s a classic mountain Cabernet site in a cooler coastal climate.
Love Desire Lines Riesling - one of the top domestic I’ve enjoyed. Thanks, Cody.
Also, congrats to Morgan, Chris, and Cody on the 2018 wines. Don’t need AG’s reviews to know that I will like them but seems like he thought you did ok…ahem…with a dozen wines at 95+. Look forward to opening them up in a few years.
Morgan- hoping to see the release notes early, so I can plan the damage to my credit.
And congratulations on the stellar AG scores!
Here you go! As always, with the usual caveat that potential grammatical errors, misspellings, etc. may still be present. Cheers! -Morgan
2019 Ode to Lulu Rose
For me, the best rosés in the world have a bit of “unbearable lightness of being,” where terrestrial weightiness and fruit are buoyed upward by leavening acidity and perfume. This is what we strive to achieve with Lulu, and the 2019 might be the best rendition of that vision out of the 12 we’ve made. Composed of 65% Mataro from old vines in Oakley and 35% Grenache from even older vines in Mendocino, this is classic Lulu. Pale salmon in color, the 2019 is a lithe and limpid rosé of both elegance and weight, where uncanny density swings in a hammock of air among summer breezes. Too much? Possibly. But when the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object. Anyway, the point is the 2019 is delicious and we highly recommend drinking it.
2019 Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc
The 2019 Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a wine that focuses as much on weight and texture as on the aromatics the grape is known for. The wine comes entirely from musque clone grown at Uboldi Vineyard (93%) in Kenwood and Judge Vineyard (7%) in Bennett Valley. As always, fermentation was done in a mixture of tank and barrel, with 65% of the wine seeing elevage in lightly toasted 320-liter cigare barrels developed specifically for the variety. For me, Uboldi fruit almost always has a melon-like character that I find quite becoming-- in some years it feels more like honeydew or Crenshaw and in some years, it veers more towards to the orange-fleshed cantaloupe side of the spectrum. This weightiness is balanced by the site’s acidity and the inclusion of a small amount of the always vibrant Judge Vineyard.
2018 Cole Ranch Riesling, Erster and Zweiter
2018 was our third year making our “fraternal twin” Rieslings from Cole Ranch, and each year I am amazed at how different these two wines are, despite being picked on the same exact day from the same block. (Thanks to the German language for the delightfully literal translations of “first dizygotic twin” and “second dizygotic twin” that we’ve adopted for these wines.)
Nestled in the hills between Ukiah and Boonville, Cole Ranch AVA is one of the coldest and latest ripening sites that we work with. In 2018 we picked the fruit at 22.7 brix on October 10th and pressed into a single tank. After racking, the same juice was split into two lots—one of which was fermented to complete dryness and the other was stopped with 39 grams per liter of residual sugar to make something closer to a German “kabinett” style. The dry version showcases the remarkable brightness and structured acidity of the site lifting the aromatics of crushed flowers and wet stone out of the glass. The “Zweiter,” or second, is more aromatically subtle but showcases a more honey and orange-infused water element in the wine. I am extraordinarily pleased with both and feel the 2018s are perhaps the finest Rieslings we have made since starting to work with the grape in 2014.
Bedrock’s 2018 Riesling Erster Zweieiiger Zwilling Cole Ranch is stunning. Perfumed, deep and super-expressive, the 2018 is all class. White flowers, orchard fruit, mint and apple give this finely cut, steely, outrageously beautiful white tons of character. It was fermented fully dry and aged in stainless steel. 94 points -Antonio Galloni
The 2018 Riesling Zweiter Zweieiiger Zwilling Cole Ranch is the same wine as the Erster Zweieiiger Zwilling, except the fermentation was stopped with 39 grams of residual sugar, which gives the wine an extra level of dimension and breadth. Cream soda, orchard fruit, sage and floral-infused honey notes flesh out effortlessly. This is a gorgeous, off-dry white for pairing with richer dishes. 93 points -Antonio Galloni
2018 Evangelho Vineyard “Areio e Vento e Amor”
From the first time Frank showed me Evangelho Vineyard in 2011, I was always smitten by the possibilities of a small, western facing block of vines located in the heart of the vineyard. Located at the intersection of the Zinfandel, Mataro and Carignan blocks, this small block seemed to potentially encapsulate the site more than any other on that ranch. Unfortunately, it was so small that it had always been picked into larger lots and blended away by whatever winery had been contracted for the fruit. In 2017, we decided to pick it out separately and give it the stage we thought it deserved. We were rewarded mightily by a wine that I consider to be the essence of Evangelho—a Mataro-dominated field-blend that also features Zinfandel, Carignan, Palomino and Alicante Bouschet. After Frank passed away, we thought it only fitting that his beautiful image should adorn the label with the words “Wind and Sand and Love” written in his beloved Azorean (Portuguese) spelled across the back. If our Evangelho Heritage is an alto, the Areio is a rich tenor, showcasing the more primordial, savory side of the vineyard. The very few bins of fruit from the block get put into a small open-top oak tank with some whole-cluster inclusion to ramp up spice and structure.
The 2018 Evangelho Arieo e Vento e Amor emerges from a single, west-facing block within the property where Mataro (Mourvèdre) is the principal grape. Dark fruit, spice, leather and a good bit of tannic heft give the 2018 its distinctive personality. The field blend is approximately 50% Mataro and 35% Zinfandel, with dollops of Carignan and Palomino, done with 25% whole clusters and aged in 600-liter barrels. Arieo e Vento e Amor is the new name for the wine formerly known as Frank’s Block. 93+ points -Antonio Galloni
2018 Lorenzo’s Heritage Wine
My favorite vintage of this wine since the epic 2008 bottling- back when baby Morgan relied more on luck than actual skill. Luckily, no matter the vintage, working with John Teldeschi’s fruit is like playing with house money. Sourced from old vine Zinfandel, Carignan and Petite Sirah from Teldeschi Ranch on the western bench of Dry Creek Valley, this wine pairs the richness of Dry Creek Zinfandel with the density of Petite Sirah and the vibrant intensity of Carignan. This is usually one of the longest lived and last-to-open of the heritage wines; however, the 2018 is certainly about as open for business as any bottling of this wine we have made and is singing after a good decant and aeration. The true essence of Dry Creek goodness.
The 2018 Lorenzo’s Heritage Wine emerges from a block in Teldeschi, one of the most highly regarded sites in Dry Creek and Sonoma more broadly. Inky dark fruit, rose petal, mint and lavender are given an extra kick of energy by veins of bright acidity. Sumptuous and vibrant. the Lorenzo’s is positively stunning from the very first taste. 96 points- Antonio Galloni
2018 Enz Heritage Wine
“I remember that the Gabilan Mountains to the east of the valley were light gay mountains full of sun and loveliness, and a kind of invitation, so that you wanted to climb into their warm foothills almost as you want to climb into the lap of a beloved mother. They were beckoning mountains with a brown grass love. -John Steinbeck
This is the first vintage we got the opportunity to work with Enz Vineyard, one of the few GREAT old vine sites on the Central Coast. Located in a remote, golden valley on the eastern side of the Gabilan Range, the vineyard is technically in the Lime Kiln AVA—named for the limestone quarry and kiln just up the road from the vineyard. Planted on its own roots in limestone and granite derived sands in the 1920s, Enz is composed predominately of Mataro but also has Zinfandel, Cabernet Pfeffer and several other interplanted varieties. The wine is roughly the breakdown of the vineyard—about 70% Mataro, 20% Zinfandel and 10% Cabernet Pfeffer. And what exactly is Cabernet Pfeffer, one might ask? Despite much lore in the area as to its origins- some posit that it is a blend of Trousseau and Cabernet, some posit that it was crossed by a gent named William Pfeffer, some say it was named Pfeffer because it is peppery and Pfeffer means pepper in German- it is, based on PCR analysis, actually an obscure variety from the southwest of France called Mourtaou. There is a not much of it in California, but most of it is in the area of Cienega Valley (there is some at Wirz as well) so is definitely a hallmark of this remote viticultural area.
The 2018 Enz Heritage Wine is bright, precise and finely sculpted, with terrific energy coming from the limestone and decomposed granite soils. Chalk, crushed flowers, black pepper, mint and rose petal grace this exquisite, super-expressive wine. The Enz is mostly Mataro, with some Zinfandel and Cabernet Pfeffer. It was done with 20% whole clusters and aged in 500/600-liter barrels. 94 points- Antonio Galloni
2018 Wedding Wine, aka Wedrock
Now there’s a beautiful river in the valley ahead
There 'neath the oak’s bough soon we will be wed
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees
I’ll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me
-Bruce Springsteen, If I Should Fall Behind
What does a Sonoma Valley boy serve at his Sonoma Valley wedding? Sonoma Valley Zinfandel from three of the oldest, most iconic, Sonoma Valley vineyards, of course! This blend, 2 barrels each of Bedrock, Old Hill Ranch and Pagani Ranch is classic, pepper and spice-infused, Zinfandel. The Bedrock element comes from my two favorite blocks on the ranch (39 and 42) where some of the most perfumed Zin we work with hails from. This, combined with the ethereal Old Hill and the weight of Pagani, makes for a bit of a powerhouse Zinfandel. That Will and Lizanne from Old Hill and Dino and Kerry from Pagani were in attendance as we took our vows only makes this wine more special to us. (Shout-out to the individual who replied to our release save the date email: “Really, someone married Morgan!?” I feel the same way every day.)
The 2018 Wedding Cuvee is basically a super-cuvee of three Sonoma Valley vineyards - two barrels each of Pagani Ranch, Old Hill and Bedrock, that Morgan Peterson created for his wedding. All I can say is: What a wine! Rich and resonant, the Wedding Cuvee is flat-out brilliant. The sweet red berry fruit and floral lift are most suggestive of Pagani, but the wine simply dazzles from start to finish. Don’t miss it! 97 points- Antonio Galloni
2018 Gambrels of the Sky Grenache
Our second iteration of this wine, the first being the 2016, this is our homage to the Grenache-based wines of the Southern Rhône. Largely made up of Grenache from Sceales Vineyard in Alexander Valley combined with small amounts of Rossi Ranch Grenache, Evangelho Mataro and Bechthold Cinsault, this was aged in a single, neutral 600-gallon foudre. Aromatics of loamy strawberry and herbs dominate—in a year where perfume is highly showcased, this is one of the most exotic and compellingly perfumed wines we made in 2018. An homage to my wine loving grandmother; we think she would be proud.
The 2018 Gambrels of the Sky is a Grenache-based wine from Sceales Vineyard in Alexander Valley and Gibson Ranch in Mendocino, with some Evangelho Mataro added to the mix. Lifted and beautifully aromatic, with tons of Grenache character, the 2018 is very pretty. A healthy dollop (33%) of whole clusters adds complexity, but without overpowering the wine. Aging in large format oak helps retain freshness. 93 points- Antonio Galloni
2018 Weill a Way Vineyard Syrah
The 2018 Weill a Way is 92% Syrah and 8% cofermented Viognier which saw 50% whole-cluster inclusion. Predominately from the two steepest blocks of the ranch, both with panoramic views of the San Pablo Bay and the mouth of Sonoma Valley, the 2018 Weill is classic Syrah. Outrageously perfumed, this straddles the line of Syrah possessing remarkable richness and density while also retaining poise due to the sites naturally great acidity. Aged in a combination of smaller and large format barrels with 20% new French oak.
The 2018 Syrah Weill-a-Way, from a site at the southern end of Sonoma, is the stand-out among the Syrahs in this range. Powerful and racy, the 2018 is all class. Sweet red cherry, red plum, spice, menthol and a good dose of whole cluster savoriness from the stems (50%) infuse the 2018 with striking complexity and beauty. This is such a gorgeous and inviting wine. 96 points- Antonio Galloni
2018 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon
Yep, we cannot believe it, but after a sad hiatus from the vineyard the previous vintage, in 2018 we got to make both Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon from this famed site. Our Cabernet block is located next to the oldest remaining Cabernet in the country (planted 1937) on some of the most iron-rich soils on the whole property. Planted in the early 90s on a quadrilateral cordon, the block produced an absolutely classic mountain Cabernet in 2018. Like most wines from Monte Rosso, the wine is highly perfumed with the archetypal citrus-tinged aromatics of the site—in this case overlaid on a core of weighty Cabernet fruit. We only got a few tons of this fruit, so unfortunately there is not much of this red-dirt queen to go around.
2018 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2018 Sonoma County Cabernet is a blend of declassified barrels from Montecillo and Monte Rosso barrels blended with some wine from the coastal Lichau Hill Vineyard (located nears Gap’s Crown in the hills above Penngrove). Though technically all made at Bedrock Wine Co., the Lichau Hill element was made under the watchful eye of our talented assistant winemaker, Cody Rasmussen, who vineyard-designates the site for his Desire Lines wines. Being small and not wanting to overproduce, Cody asked if we wanted a few barrels that he was not using in his wine—it turns out they worked beautifully for this wine. This is classic, relatively unadorned Cabernet that showcases beautiful fruit. This saw only 14% new oak.
Just when you think it can’t get any harder to control your Bedrock order, Morgan and team step it up another notch.