Fun Saturday with the Historic Vineyard Society

[Nathan_Smyth]

Awesome!

[S_Reynolds]

@Brian Gilp

@Nathan Smyth

Does anyone work with Vitis vinifera and banzai?

It’s as though they should be in pots for sale in a florist’s shop.

http://www.google.com/search?q=grape+bonsai&hl=en&gbv=2&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=xheRUZSlLIHq8wTjkIF4&ved=0CBkQsxg

See the first four or five at the link. However, its real easy to make them yourself if you have access to vines. I have 5 that I have started earlier this year when I was doing late season prunning.

Very cool.

[Craig_R1]

Thanks to all for sharing! Such cool stuff to read about…and see.

[Larry_P]

Thanks Brian for the writeup and the pics! What can I say, besides this was another amazing HVS event!

Alex - it was really nice meeting you and your girlfriend. What a nice stroke of luck that we ended up sitting together

Some of my pics from the day’s events:

Flowering at Whitton Ranch:

Whitton Ranch:

Whitton Ranch, this is a Syrah vine I think?

David Gates leading the tour at Whitton:

Another old vine Whitton Ranch:

[Larry_P]

Tegan leading the tour at Turley’s Vineyard 101:

Vineyard 101 - that’s Hwy 101 (“The 101” for the southerners) passing over the viaduct on the right:

[Larry_P]

Ned leading the tour at Seghesio Chianti Station, the oldest Sangiovese vineyard in CA:

Chianti Station:

[Larry_P]

Doug Nalle at Nalle Winery/Henderlong Vineyard:

Who says this isn’t a scenic vineyard?

[Larry_P]

Bottle shots and dinner:

2003 Keig Vineyard - Tegan says this historic vineyard was ripped out after this vintage

Dinner at Seghesio:

The perks of sitting with David Gates, including my WOTN 1999 Lytton Springs Grenache/Syrah

The HVS crew: Bob Biale, Tegan Passalacqua, Mike Officer, Mike Dildine, David Gates, and Morgan Twain-Peterson

[Andrew_Demaree]

Awesome write ups and photos, guys! Thanks for taking the time to post all that here.

[Brian_Tuite]

That’s why you have a professional photographer at events like this. Awesome pics Larry!

[Robert.Fleming]

Any white wines?

[M_Dildine]

@Robert.Fleming

Any white wines?

Robert, we had three, all from vineyards planted in the late 19th, early 20th century.

• Bedrock “Casa Santinamaria” Vineyard - a white field blend (Semillon, Muscadelle, Chasselas, Palamino)
• Carlisle “Derivative” - another similar white field blend from two vineyards (76% Monte Rosso, 24% Pagani Ranch)
• Bedrock “Lachryma Montis” - a Semillon dessert wine from Monte Rosso Vineyard

Outside of the historic significance of these wines - they are outstanding in their own right.

[Robert.Fleming]

Great. Thanks.

[Larry_P]

@M. Dildine

@Robert.Fleming

Any white wines?

Robert, we had three, all from vineyards planted in the late 19th, early 20th century.

• Bedrock “Casa Santinamaria” Vineyard - a white field blend (Semillon, Muscadelle, Chasselas, Palamino)
• Carlisle “Derivative” - another similar white field blend from two vineyards (76% Monte Rosso, 24% Pagani Ranch)
• Bedrock “Lachryma Montis” - a Semillon dessert wine from Monte Rosso Vineyard

Outside of the historic significance of these wines - they are outstanding in their own right.

While not a white wine, Morgan did also donate a magnum of the Ode to Lulu Rosé. These all hit the spot after a day in the hot sun.

I didn’t get bottle shots of any of these, because I had snuck upstairs to get the bottle shots in the dining room, while the white wines were being poured for the group reception in the tasting room.

The Casa Santinamaria remains a fascinating blend and is becoming one of my favorites. Blind I would have tentatively guessed Chardonnay, but without any oak influence, touches of a waxy Marsanne/Rousanne quality and with a very crisp finish.

The 2011 Derivative is another blend that’s difficult to relate to any other known (to me) wines. Definitely the Semillon shows, but plenty of other complex flavors that I have a difficult time relating. I’ve tasted this a few times now, and felt the barrel treatment seemed to be asserting itself more strongly than before. I asked Mike O. and he said the Semillon was aged in 33% new barrels, and all other varieties in stainless. This is a very nice wine, but one I’d give a little time for the oak to integrate.

The 2011 Lachryma Montis is a stunner - I believe more RS than the 2009 but the acidity is cranked up as well so that it comes off as less sweet, but more intense. I asked Morgan to please stop giving this away and start selling it (to me). Unfortunately the production is so low on this wine that Morgan and Chris are afraid it may breed some bad will with the many people who will be left out, so it’s possible this is never released. My dentist will be pleased to hear this.

[Larry_P]

@Brian Tuite

That’s why you have a professional photographer at events like this. Awesome pics Larry!

Thanks Brian! I’m glad lugging around all that hardware still counts for something.

[M_Dildine]

@Larry P

Also, while not a white wine, Morgan did also donate a magnum of the Ode to Lulu Rosé.

This wine opened my eyes up to the possibilities of Rosé. Sourced from Mourvedre planted in the 1880s at Bedrock Vineyard, Sonoma Valley.

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

We are always bummed we miss these events. How was the 2011 Geezer?

[M_Dildine]

@Glenn L e v i n e

We are always bummed we miss these events. How was the 2011 Geezer?

I’m obviously biased, but I think the '11 Geezer has the possibility of becoming spectacular. It is a most delicious young Geezer.

[Larry_P]

@M. Dildine

@Glenn L e v i n e

We are always bummed we miss these events. How was the 2011 Geezer?

I’m obviously biased, but I think the '11 Geezer has the possibility of becoming spectacular. It is a most delicious young Geezer.

I thought it was one of the best young Geyservilles in recent memory, but I was pretty much sideways by the time I got to this. The Two Acres and Lorenzo’s were stunning.