I needed to add a few newer (as well as not-so-new) producers to the registry of wineries’ bottlings from San Benito and Santa Clara grapes.
Camino Cellars
“Enz Vineyard” Mourvedre
Rexford Winery
2017 Zinfandel, Lime Kiln Valley, “Gillian Enz Vineyard”
Reeve Wines
2018 “Prism” San Benito County Riesling
"Because of the devastating 2018 fires in Mendocino, we were forced to scramble for an alternative source of ‘Prism’ right before harvest. Our friends at Bedrock Winery quickly connected us with one of their growers to help us out and ensure we had a great source to continue with ‘Prism’. Although it’s not the same AVA, the spirit of electricity lives on.
"Sourced mainly from the +60-year-old ‘Wirz Vineyard’ in the Cienga Hills with a dash of ‘Vonarburg’ Riesling in Mendocino to give it continuity.
"The fruit was hand-sorted before a gentle whole-cluster pressing. This Riesling was slowly fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures over a two month period. Bottled in Stelvin Lux screwcap closures to enhance the freshness and laser-like nature of the wine (and to cut down on any cork taint.) Plus easy access, right?
“Pungent rainforest flowers and stone on the nose. A mix of green apple and tropical fruit favors with a real driving, tension loaded lemony finish.”
Bedrock Wine Company
2018 “Under the Mountain” Heritage Wine
“One of the most intriguing sites we work with, ‘Vineyard Under the Mountain’ was planted in the 1910s in the hills to the west of Morgan Hill (my favorite hill) and just a little south of Hecker Pass. Located just a couple hundred below the elevation line for the Santa Cruz Mountains the vineyard is a rare remaining old vineyard in an area once renowned for its quality wine production. The 2018, which is composed primarily of Zinfandel and Carignan, showcases the beautiful, precise fruit of the location and the brightness that comes with exposure to the Pacific Ocean. This will take a little while to unfurl but promises great rewards when it does.”
2018 “Wirz Vineyard” Old Vine Riesling
“From own-rooted vines planted in 1963 in the Cienega Valley on sandy soils derived of limestone and granite, this vineyard put out a scant 1-1.5 tons per acre of perfumed, vibrant fruit in 2018. For those wondering where Cienega Valley is (I had to look at a map the first time) it is located to the east of the Gabilan Range near the eastern entrance to Pinnacle National Park. The 2018 is one of my favorite versions of this wine as it combines its natural savory, mineral texture with classic Riesling flowery perfume (gardenia anyone?). This wine is fermented dry (we will invariably get a lot of questions since it is riesling) and made more in the style of Alsatian, Austrian’ or Grosses Gewächs iterations of the variety.”
2018 “Enz” Heritage Wine, Lime Kiln Valley
"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. Based on PCR analysis, it is 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.”
Stirm Wine Company
2018 “Wirz Vineyard” Zinfandel
"Vintage Summary: The 2018 growing season was one of the mildest growing seasons in recent memory. Less than average rainfall during the winter months, though the March rains proved to be a savior. The late rains coupled with very cool weather set back the physiological development of all the vine cycles from flowering to fruit set a couple of weeks compared with 2018. Other than the usual heat during June and July, the late summer conditions were very mild and allowed us to ripen fruit later than ever with very slow sugar accumulation and high acid retention. Grapes were picked over two days, on October 1, 2018.
"Winemaking: The grapes were picked by hand, sorted in the field. At the winery the grapes were sorted into a redwood fermenter, whole cluster, with 1% Riesling grapes added into the field blend. Pumped over once daily, pressed after a 11 day fermentation. Elevage in old (10 years) barriques for 18 months on fine lees. Racked to stainless steel one month prior with the addition of ‘Wirz’ Riesling into the final blend (Zinfandel 91%/Riesling 9%).
“Unfined, unfiltered. Bottled February 25th, 2020. 210 cases produced.”
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