I see and try a staggering amount of new wines as they come out in the valley (at least 50 projects a year), but not too many seem to have all the pieces in place (fruit source, winemaker, drive, like-able people) to deliver. So I thought I would throw out two new wineries that have yet to make their IPO that you might be interested in signing up for; Greer Wines and Maze Wines. Each is quite small, and within a month or so of hitting the market for the first time. I’ve known about them for a while but since they were nowhere near release and there were no websites to speak of, the point was moot.
I first met Rob Greer while watching a soccer match with Aaron Pott two years ago. Rob Greer is a big Arsenal football fan. Aaron gave him advice when he replanted his Rutherford vineyard a few years back, and as many of you know, Aaron now makes a Pott wine (many feel the best Pott wine) from Rob’s vineyard, “The Arsenal.” Well that is only half the story. Aaron also makes a Greer Cab for Rob under his own label from the same vineyard. These wines come from different blocks as I understand it, with Aaron’s having more of the “See clone” and Rob’s more of “Clone 4.” The soil at the vineyard is great, surrounded by Moresoli, Bella Oaks, Staglin and a prime block of Phelps Insignia, with the Rubicon portion of JJ Cohn (Scarecrow) within a slingshot. I believe Gary Moresoli farmed it until very recently. If you have had the Arsenal and lament how hard it is to get, you might want to sign up for Greer. I’ve had the 2007, which will be his first release, a few times, and it is spectacular. It is voluptuous, medium-full body, balanced and very, very Rutherford-like. I’ve had the 08 and 09 once a few months ago and they confirm to me how good this project is. There is not much made in 2007, (a single barrel) and I think it doubles to two in 2008 and then three in 2009. I think the price will be right in line with Pott’s Arsenal. Not cheap, but if you’ve had the Arsenal, you pretty much know what you are in for, so this is not exactly a leap into the unknown. I would love to put this up against Rutherford heavyweights in a blind tasting. Another big winner made by Aaron.
The other is called “Maze.” Last year I started making my own wine where Mark Herold vinifies and got to know Shawn Johnson. Shawn worked for one year under Mike Smith and Thomas Brown at Nicholson Ranch, but has worked for four years as the assistant winemaker for Kobalt and Merus (until Mark sold it) and Herold Wines, so he has a been in a great position to learn the craft. He makes two wines, an 80-case production 2010 Sauv Blanc from a Knight’s Valley vineyard right next to Luc Morlet, that is very crisp, with grassy stone-fruits in the mouth. It reminds me a lot of Herb Lamb’s Sauv Blanc, which has always been a personal favorite. It was fermented in a concrete egg and never saw a moment of oak. The Cabernet is blended from two vineyards in Coombsville that went into Merus for years, with some Stagecoach and Kenefick and Oakville Ranch for good measure. The Cab will make anyone who likes the Herold-style of black color, large framed, cool climate fruit and big concentration very happy indeed. In fact, Mark consults on the project. The pricing will be very much to people’s liking, given the pedigree here. I think there will be something like 200 cases of the 2008 Cab. I think the Blanc comes out first with the Cab in the fall. The website is bare bones for now, with just a sign-up page.
Nice guys making tiny amounts of high-end juice. Thought I would finally get around to mentioning them for those of you who like to get in small projects, early. Enjoy.
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