Sojourn tasting with Craig

WINE TALK
1

I’ve been on the Sojourn mailing list for a year; and was anxious to taste Craigs lineup on my trip to wine country. I sent him a message, and he invited us for a tasting (free to mailing list members, and those smart enough to arrange it). [highfive.gif]

The tasting room is located just off the picturesque square in the town of Sonoma. It’s a cute adorable gray house.

My friend Mike and I were doing Napa/Sonoma and the Raiders. Ok, so not a perfect weekend.

This was the first time I’ve met the larger than life Craig. He says whats on his mind. Great fun talking to him about winemaking.

Craig poured 10 wines. Some of them are current, and some are recent additions.

07 Sonoma Coast Pinot $36. Light color, fruit, 14.2 alcohol

My CT notes: This was ‘rockin’. Opened an hour prior to dinner. The cork was a light reddish color. On pop and pour, I tasted cherries. Ready to drink on opening. At the 2 hour mark (at dinner), this was a little bit of heaven. The wine was a light red color. Our friends said watery red. More like Oregon pinot red to me. This was a very easy to drink, and tasty pinot. Everyone at dinner really had positive comments. Glad I just received 2 additional bottles.

07 Alder Springs Pinot $48. - Earthy, slight tannins, spice, sweetness, dark fruits. Needs more time

08 Gaps Crown Pinot $48. - Floral aromatics, blue fruit

08 Sangiacomo Pinot - Fruit nose, rich, smooth, fruit taste. Will improve with time. Light color

08 Windsor RRV - lighter style pinot, a hint sweetness. 7 weeks in bottle. Will put on weight

06 Sonoma Cab $39. Taste of fruit WS 88

06 Mountain Terrace Reserve $59. - Best of barrels according to Craig. Great nose. Smooth, Lt tannins

07 Home Ranch - dark color. Prunes? Plum? Recently bottled.
I drank the 06 Home Ranch this summer and it was smoking!!

07 Howell Mountain Cab * - intense color, ready to drink, soft tannins, delicious

08 RRV Cuvee Pinot - mint?

*** The 07 Howell Mountain Cab was my favorite.**

Disclaimer: I’m currently sitting on:

2007 Sojourn Pinot Noir Demuth Vineyard Anderson Valley
2007 Sojourn Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast
2007 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard
2007 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

I’m looking forward to the next mailer.

A special thanks to Craig for setting this up. [thankyou.gif]

2

Wow. That was quite a tasting!!!
We were hosted by Craig back in August, and he showed us a fabulous time.
Looking forward to seeing him again on our next visit.

3

Nice. Will see Craig in a couple weeks.

4

Craig is a great guy to meet with. Huge personality and just a lot of fun. They’re cranking out tasty wines, too. The Cabs are pretty underrated.

5

I met Craig last month for the first time. Great guy, great wines!

6

Agreed. I’m typically not a big fan of Sonoma cabs, but they have some very nice examples, even in weaker vintages.

7

Todd- they are moving the Cab Program to Napa going forward. In 08 they will have a Spring and Howell Mountain and a G3 which was the wine of our tasting with Craig a few weeks ago. I believe it was referred to as a PD. [swoon.gif]


8

What are they planning on doing with Craig’s Home Ranch grapes???

9

Hi Bud,

After the 2006 vintage the Schaefers (Audelssa) who own the vineyard told Erich Bradley and I they did not believe that they would have fruit available for the 2007 vintage. After recieving a number of 90+ scores their sales had increased and they needed all the fruit for their own estate project.

It seemed logical for us to move our Cabernet program over to Napa, and in 2007 we sourced fruit from vineyards on both Howell Mountain and Spring Mountain. In 2008 we added fruit from Beckstoffer Georges III, and in 2009 we added fruit from the eastern side of the valley in Oakville next to the Dalle Valle and Phelps Bachus vineyards. The Home Ranch vineyard (Sonoma) will continue to be a part of our portfolio - after all, it’s in my backyard!

Fred, conversationally the “D” has been replaced with a “M” - “melter”.