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Notes from the Vineyard


Past "Notes from the Vineyard"


Handmade wines since 1983.

 

Notes from the Vineyard

 

 

FALL 2006


Among high-quality wine producers there seem to be two general camps, those who make vineyard-specific wines and those who blend a variety of vineyard sources. Those who blend argue that the only way to make a complex wine is to mix several vineyard components together--in essence that the sum is greater than its individual parts. I do not deny that the idea is appealing; however, as you will see from this newsletter, I am not of that persuasion.

What drives me is the amazing distinctiveness a carefully farmed vineyard can express when its grapes become wine. I was first struck by this back in 1988 when I made two pinot noirs from vineyards that were literally across the street from each other in the Santa Maria Valley, Bien Nacido and Rancho Vinedo. While the grapes were treated similarly, the resultant wines were quite different. It was thrilling to taste what seemed to me the spirit of those two particular spots.

Assuming variety is the spice of life, blended perfection strikes me as sort of boring. This world already offers enough blended beverages designed to appeal to the widest audience--quirky and individual wines are simply more interesting.

Here at the winery, dealing with so many vineyards and keeping the resulting wines separate can be chaotic: however, every tasting becomes a tour of the unique characteristics a particular site delivers in flavors and aromatics. And because there is so much happening vineyardwise in Santa Barbara County, we'll continue to introduce new wines to you in the next few years-while letting a few old friends go. I remain restless in the hunt for special vineyards. The search for the great vineyard site and the quest to best express its individuality in wine remain a lifelong pursuit.

 

Adam Tolmach