2004 SAUVIGNON BLANC
WESTERLY
Santa Barabara County
Since our first sauvignon
blanc from the Westerly Vineyard in 1998, I have been delighted
with the character of this vineyard. However, in my quest to make
even better wine, I have been working with the grower to direct
vine growth to insure that the fruit ripens more evenly. This
result is achieved by pruning the vineyard using the cordon method
and removing unwanted shoots in the spring to concentrate the
vigor of the vine exclusively into the fruit-bearing canes. While
this has resulted in lower yields, with those lower yields a savory
mineral-y character has become apparent, and it is very appealing.
This character I attribute to the very poor fractured shale soil
that the vine roots grow in. To avoid mucking up this distinctive
fruit, I try to take a delicate approach in the winemaking. The
wine is barrel fermented in older barrels that do not impart oak
flavors, and the malo-lactic fermentation is blocked, keeping
the wine fresh and zesty. This year's effort is bone dry and highly
aromatic--and delicious.