My Notes from the Event, Part #2:
“Under the Mountain”, “Besson”, and “Hoffman Mountain Ranch (HMR)”
Morgan Twain-Peterson (Bedrock):
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currently owned by Dick and Seth Gregory;
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vineyard was once much larger, encompassing the southern side of Mt Madonna, where the famous “Mary Carter Vyd” Grenache fruit was grown;
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planted 1910s - only Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignan, and mixed blacks remain;
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Bedrock Wine Co., Storrs, & Nathan Kandler’s Precedent Wine currently source grapes from this vineyard.
Ian Brand (I. Brand & Family Wines): Surviving old Santa Clara vineyards include:
- “Under the Mountain Vineyard”;
- Carignan site ~2.5 miles NE;
- Zinfandel block on Watsonville Rd, 5 miles North of “Under the Mt Vyd” in Uvas Canyon area;
- Old-vine Mataro / Zinfandel /mixed block planting on East side of Hwy 101 (“Wolfenbarger Vineyard”);
- James Jelk’s mixed varieties old-vine site visible from Hwy;
- Fortino Winery estate vineyard;
- Guglielmo Winery estate vineyard;
- Besson Family Vineyards’ two plantings on Hecker Pass Highway.
Nicole Walsh (Ser):
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Walsh has worked with fruit from “Besson” for 11 years; Bonny Doon formerly sourced Grenache from this site for its “Clos du Gilroy” bottling: Grenache from this old-vine planting is much lighter.
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Birichino started sourcing fruit from “Besson” around 2011.
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planted in 1910s, 10 acres of old-vine Grenache.
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Besson family’s smaller Zinfandel vineyard is farther down Hecker Pass Hwy (planted w/ Zin & Mission); possibly part of former “Mary Carter” property.
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“Besson Vyd” is ripened later, with lower brix, on granitic loam soils.
Jeremy Weintraub (Adelaida Vineyards):
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located in San Luis Obispo’s Adelaida Gap area; only vyd on Pacific Plate in California (Farallon Plate subducted);
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“HMR Vyd” was planted in 1964 by John and his son Mike Whitener to Pinot Noir, “Gamay Beaujolais”, and Sylvaner from Almaden vine material.
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“HMR’s” one-acre of Gamay Beaujolais (Pinot droit) was misidentified, instead being an upright-growing, warm weather tolerant Pinot Clone (vs Pinot tendu): Adelaida Vineyards’ “Gamay” was bottled for many years and a Nouveau celebration was conducted on premises.
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“HMR” is planted on limestone: soil pH is 8.0 - 8.4.
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Adelaida’s work with the old-vine Pinot Noir fruit has been taken much more seriously in recent years.
Other Producers using fruit from Historic Vineyards Mentioned:
· Sante Arcangeli Family Wines: “Vineyard Under the Mountain” Zinfandel bottling
· Jaimee Motley Wines: “Massa Vineyard” bottling
· Hubba Wines: “Enz Vineyard” bottling
Historic Vineyard Society Vimeo video
“Virtual Vineyard Tour - Central Coast”
