A wine dinner with aged Chardonnay, Sonoma County oldies, and decades old Spanna

A mixed group of wine drinkers and wine lovers recently met up at the house for a wine dinner.  We drank the sparkling and white wines while introductions were made and dinner was prepared.  It is with dinner that we tucked into three flights of red wine.  If the first flight of reds was a mixed bag the final two flights, featuring a pair of 1970s Sonoma County reds and a pair of 1960s Italian Spanna were my stars of the night.  Please find my notes below.

Sparkling

NV Ruinart, Champagne Brut Rose
Imported by Moet Hennessy USA. Alcohol 12.5%.  A copper rose color.  A strong wine with fine, firm bubbles, red fruits, and a biscuit flavor.  Robust in a way.  *** Now – 2024.

2014 Dirty & Rowdy, Sparkling White Wine, El Dorado County
Alcohol 12.4%.  Sweet, floral tree fruits with bubbles.  Solid but not my favorite. ** Now but will last.

White Wines

The white wines were of more interest.  On their own the 2009 Williams Selyem, Chardonnay, Drake Estate Vineyard, Russian River Valley and 2008 Williams Selyem, Chardonnay, Hawk Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley are quite different.  The 2009 is the bigger, rounder yet also a softer wine.  The 2008 is mature in flavor yet young in delivery.  If you could merge the two of them the results might be quite good.  The 2002 Maison Louis Latour, Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot was the first bottle of white finished.  The nose is its strength yet while the flavors do not quite match, the balance and youthful delivery are admirable.  This wine should develop slowly for some years to come.  Almost everyone was drawn to this wine.

2009 Williams Selyem, Chardonnay, Drake Estate Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Alcohol 14.4%.  Verging on full-bodied, certainly rounded, with good mouth feel.  Youthful flavor but leaves an impression of softness due to the lower acidity.  *** Now.

2008 Williams Selyem, Chardonnay, Hawk Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Alcohol 14.9%.  Mature in flavor but young in delivery.  Nearly crisp acidity, bright.  ***(*) Now – 2024.

2002 Maison Louis Latour, Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot
Imported by Louis Latour Inc.  Alcohol 13.5%.  A lovely nose which is not quite matched by the flavor.  Balanced all around, this is surprisingly young in profile and remains that way throughout the evening.  Is it evolving at a glacial pace?  **** Now – 2029.

A Variety of Reds

This first flight of red wines was a bit of a mixed bag.  The 1996 Faiveley, Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale seems like it is locked down but of solid material.  The nose of the 1997 Ridge, Zinfandel, York Creek was sadly reminiscent of dust.  Though better in the mouth, I was too distracted.  The magnum of 1998 Domaine Paul Autard, Chateauneuf du Pape should have been drunk promptly after double-decanting.  At that point it is a solid, mature Rhone red but after a few hours it is too bloody.

1996 Faiveley, Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale
Imported by Wilson Daniels LTD.  Alcohol 12%.  Bright red fruit, slightly spiced then black fruit flavors in the finely textured finish.  Firm flavor with a spine of acidity and taut structure.  It has yet to open up but will be greatly improved if it does.  *** Now – 2029.

1997 Ridge, Zinfandel, York Creek
Alcohol 15%. An herbaceous nose mixes with dust.  In the mouth the cherry flavors are rounded with controlled ripeness.  There is a hint of Kirsch.  The fruit is balanced by the acidity and the structure is resolving.  The nose never cleans up with the dustiness becoming more dirty. An off bottle.  Not Rated.

1998 Domaine Paul Autard, Chateauneuf du Pape en magnum
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  Alcohol 15%.  A modest, mature mix of blue and red fruits, garrigue, and spice.  But after an hour or so it picks up hints of blood and iron until it becomes evocative of liquid meat.  A solid wine if drunk upon opening when it is ripe and big bodied.  At best a ** Now.

Sonoma County Oldies

My first experience with the 1977 Ernie’s, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Select, Zellerbach Vineyard, Sonoma County was with a regular bottle. It was a bit dirty but underneath lurked some interesting material.  This magnum improved over several hours, until there was no more left, and captured the attention of more than a few people.  I have had good luck with Ernie’s lately.  This magnum and the 1974 Round Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon highlight the quality of wine he purchased.  The 1978 Louis J. Foppiano, Zinfandel, Sonoma County is infinitely better than the bottle of 1974 that I tried several weeks back.    It delivers ample flavor from the very first glass.  It does not have the complexity of the Ernie’s but it is more hedonistic.  On the following evening, the remains were nearly as pleasurable.

1977 Ernie’s, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Select, Zellerbach Vineyard, Sonoma County en magnum
Alcohol 13%.  Aromatic with eucalyptus and bright fruit but then it turns deeper and a touch darker.  In the mouth is good body with cool flavored fruit, a spine of acidity and a finish of leather.  This is a good, clean, fresh example that after several hours reveals its complexity.  Notes of fat and oily whole nuts add to the attractiveness.  **** Now – 2029+.

1978 Louis J. Foppiano, Zinfandel, Sonoma County
Alcohol 12.5%.  Some animale notes mix with cherry-berry aromas.  Beautiful berry fruit greets and with that ripe fruit comes a hint of raisin.  However, this zippy wine is in great shape, effortlessly delivering waves of flavor.  With air it develops baking spices and comforting notes of sweaty, old leather evocative of old Californian wines. Pure pleasure.  ***(*)  Now – 2024.

Old Spanna

Surely one of the coolest labels I have seem in some time is on the 1967 Cantina Cooperative Villa Bianzone, Valtellina. The graphic drawing of Dionysus with hair of vines with leaves and beard of grapes is reason alone to purchase the wine.  There is little background information on this cooperative in the Wasserman’s book.  Despite other negative reviews of the 1967 they felt it is a “very fine vintage”. For being a basic Valtellina DOC wine it is actually quite good.  Moving west of Valtellina to the Novara-Vercelli Hills, the 1964 A. Brugo, Romagnano Riserva stems east of Gattinara.  According to the detailed Wasserman’s, this is a blend of Bonarda, Croatina, Spanna, and Vespolina, the later of which is sourced from Ghemme.  This is quite good as well.  I found my preference oscillating between the two wines as the developed in my glasses.  In the end, I would say the Bianzone has the more complex nose with brighter, controlled flavors.  The Brugo delivers that sweaty, old-school character with more grip.  I was happy to have separate glasses of each!

1967 Cantina Cooperativa Villa Bianzone, Valtellina
Imported by T. Elenteny.  Aromas of dried, old leather with balsamic notes make for a complex nose.  It is a cool nose that reminds me of the inside of the Air & Space Museum in DC.  In the mouth are very bright flavors with an earthy/leather note that cuts through.  Beautiful in the mouth. ***(*) Now but will last.

1964 A. Brugo, Romagnano Riserva
Imported by T. Elenteny.  Deep and slightly sweaty red fruits on the nose…smells old-school.  In the mouth are sweaty flavors of red, grippy fruit and bright acidity.  In great condition with watering acidity carrying through to the still-structured finish.  ***(*) Now but will last.

“How long will our reds last? I don’t know.”: 1978 Parducci, Merlot Special Bottling plus some table wine

The label of the 1978 Parducci, Merlot Special Bottling, Mendocino County magnum was only slightly soiled. The fill was excellent and underneath the plastic capsule, the firmly seated cork was pristine. After double-decanting, to remove the sediment, the wine bore deep aromas proper for a good Californian wine from the 1970s.

Grapes have been grown in Mendocino County since the 19th century when there were a few dozen growers. Located north of Sonoma, the slow arrival of rail lines meant this was a region of smaller enterprises rather than ones on a commercial scale. During Prohibition grapes were grown for home winemaking in San Francisco and bootlegging on the East Coast. By 1938, the number of bonded wines hit eight with Parducci the largest of them all. Most of the Parducci wine was sold off to other major wineries but eventually a new generation sought to bottle under their own label during the wine boom. It is in 1973 that Nathan Chroman, writing for the Los Angeles Times, found Parducci was just beginning to establish their identity.

Like Robert Mondavi, John Parducci advocated unfined and unfiltered wine. He did differ from Mondavi in these early years by avoiding any contact with oak. Parducci also felt strongly about growing the best grapes for the site rather than what was in demand. Articles from the 1970s share a common theme of Parducci’s unique style, affordable price, and drinkable red wines. If there was preference for fresh, fruit flavored red wines, there was also an economic side to it. The French and Yugoslavian oak barrels were too expensive for the family. That is not to say no wood was used, the Cabernet was aged in tall, thin redwood vats.

It must be remembered that 1976 and 1977 were drought years in California. The 1978 vintage yielded large numbers of healthy, sugar-filled grapes. Excitement was widespread with John Parducci commenting on the new wines, “Some of the most fantastic wines California has ever seen.” The principal vineyards of Parducci were Talmage, Largo, and Home Ranch. This is not where the fruit came from for the 1978 Merlot Special Bottling. The back label states the “grapes were grown by small growers on the slopes of Mendocino County”.

In 1974, the Special Bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon sold for $7.99 per bottle in Washington, DC. That put this Special Bottling in the range of Chappellet and Clos du Val pricing.  The nose is generous and in Parducci style, the wine offers up berries, freshness, and levity.  The alcohol level is noticeably low.  Together these traits make it a highly drinkable wine.  In fact, the magnum drank very well for several hours at which time it started to fade. To answer the title question, this magnum lasted 40 years with ease.

I wish I could write more about the 1974 Foppiano Vineyards, Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County.  Founded in the 19th century, very little was written about it save short mention of the periodically medal-winning Cabernet Sauvignon.  William Rice of The Washington Post found the 1972 Foppiano , Zinfandel as “very fruity” and though pleasantly aromatic, it lacked in tannin.  Ours, though, was from a better vintage but my gut-feeling is that the regular 1974s are fading away which did not help this wine.  The flavors are beginning to turn with no supporting structure left.

We tried two other wines that night from California. The magnums of 1984 and 1985 Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Red were found in the dump bin at MacArthur Beverages. Priced at $3 each I had to try them for the historic note. A closer look at the label reveals these were made at the Woodbridge Winery. Created in 1979, the Woodbridge Winery was destined to produce large volumes of affordable, oak aged wines. A basic non-vintage table wine had been made at Mondavi since 1976 but quality had slipped.  The Woodbridge Winery was one of multiple prongs designed to improve the table wine quality.

The new Mondavi Red was primarily a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Gamay, Petite Sirah, and Merlot aged in small oak barrels. Carignan, Thomson Seedless (!!!), and Columbard were largely jettisoned as they were considered in the territory of jug wine.  Mondavi believed in long aging in oak but $300 French oak barres were to expensive for use at Woodbridge. Instead, he “retired” his older French oak barrels used in his premium wines to Woodbridge.  He then employed American coopers to use American oak to form new barrels using the French method of charing rather than steaming. Unlike other inexpensive table wines these were new table wines based at Woodbridge winery were regarded as more complex and capable of some aging.

As for the wines, the 1984 was green, herbaceous and way past prime.  Not really surprising.  I was hoping to pull a rabbit out of a hat and the 1985 almost obliged. The nose was good but the flavors too herbaceous.  I suspect it would have drunk fine a decade ago.

1978 Parducci, Merlot Special Bottling, Mendocino County
Alcohol 12.5%.  Definitely a brick-brown color.  Deep, comforting aromas are evocative of the period.  In the mouth fresh acidity bearing mixed flavors of wood box, deep berries, and maturity.  A lighter bodied wine of moderate length it is fresh and very drinkable.  It fleshes out a bit with air becoming more saline.  It has good staying power.  *** Now but will last

1974 Foppiano Vineyards, Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Alcohol 12%.  The cork smelled balsamic but none of that transferred to the wine.  A slight hint of roast indicates its past prime.  In the mouth this is a fully mature wine, aging fruit is a touch sour but it remains supple.  A lighter style of Zinfandel that was likely elegant to begin with the structure entirely integrated.  *(*) Drink Up.

1984 Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Red
Alcohol 12%.  Green veggies and other herbaceous aromas.  An herbaceous edge to the bright and tart red fruit.  Short, simple, and not of interest. Past Prime.

1985 Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Red
Alcohol 12%.  Some depth to the nose, dark fruit, wood box, and spices.  A certain hint of that carries into the mouth but herbaceousness comes out as well.  In much better poise than the 1984. * Now but drink up.

The 2016 Hartford Court, Chardonnay, Four Hearts Vnyd is very good!

The 2016 Hartford Court, Chardonnay, Four Hearts Vineyards, Russian River Valley had my attention from the very first sip due to the crisp, textured acidity.  The luxurious fat in the finish sealed the deal for none of this barrel-fermented Chardonnay was left at the end of dinner.  You may pick up this gem at MacArthur Beverages.

2016 Hartford Court, Chardonnay, Four Hearts Vineyards, Russian River Valley – $40
This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was barrel fermented then aged for 10 months in French oak.  Alcohol 14.5%.  Lively yellow fruit sports crisp textured acidity all of which overlays a toast note.  With air the yellow fruit takes on a floral component and becomes infused with fat which lasts through the long finish and aftertaste.  **** Now – 2020.

A Californian quartet

Between work, family, wine research, and the new turntable I am short on free time.  Thus over the past month I have generally drunk inexpensive French and Italian wine for I need not take down any notes.  I have peppered these same weeks with a handful of younger bottles from California.  One recent release is the 2013 Coquerel Family Wines, Le Terroir, Chardonnay, Oakville Block A, Napa Valley.  This bottle showed very well after a few hours of air as well as on the second night.  It is a style of wine that has not swung too far in either direction, providing balanced white fruit flavors with both lovely mouthfeel and tautness.

I have never tasted the 2009 Ridge, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County since release.  I was surprised by the amount of flavor packed in and the lack of evolution.  It is quite tasty but should be cellared further to open up.  I suppose, in retrospect, I can understand why Lou and I enjoy decades old bottles of Ridge.  The 2005 Karl Lawrence, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley is a solid wine full of black fruit and graphite.  It is supple and tasty, just not as exciting as I hoped at this stage.  Finally, there is the gigantic 1997 Williams Selyem, Pinot Noir, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley which caught me off guard.  Ripe, dark, and alcoholic it is simply not my type of wine.

2013 Coquerel Family Wines, Le Terroir, Chardonnay, Oakville Block A, Napa Valley – $30
This was fermented in 25% oak barrels with the remaining in stainless steel after which is was aged 7 months sue lie.  Alcohol 14%. With a bit of warmth and air this is an attractive wine of white fruit with a pleasing body of glycerin and nut flavors.  The tautness of the wine builds as the acidity becomes more noticeable, simultaneously evolving a finely textured, ripe grip.  ***(*) Now – 2020.

2009 Ridge, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
This wine is a blend of 71% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, and 6% Carignane.  Alcohol 14.5%.  This is both surprisingly unevolved and packing a tremendous level of flavor.  It is a richly textured, dense wine of dark fruit that may not have any hard edges but does have structure for significant aging.  Given the level of stuffing I would wait another five years to try again.  **** Now – 2027.

2005 Karl Lawrence, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Alcohol 14.2%.  The nose remained subtle and the flavors of graphite-infused black fruit remained gentle.  This is a low-lying, almost laid back wine.  It remains very black in terms of flavor with inky hints and eventually develops some additional complexity from a wood box flavor.  There is some texture but it is generally supple with low-acidity.  Solid.  *** Now.

1997 Williams Selyem, Pinot Noir, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Alcohol 14.9%.  This is a thick, dark flavored, very ripe wine of body and scope which seems to defy the varietal.  It was heady with noticeable heat in the finish that I found too distracting. Not my style.  Not Rated.

The Fruity 2015 Enkidu, Shamhat Rosé

With the 2015 Enkidu, Shamhat Rosé, Russian River Valley, Phillip Staehle has produced a pleasing rosé on the fruitier side of the spectrum.  With the rainier weather of the Washington, DC, area this more substantial offering hits the spot.  It also has enough stuffing to be drunk over several nights.  This wine is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2015 Enkidu, Shamhat Rose, Russian River Valley – $18
This wine is a blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache, and 25% Mouvedre.  Alcohol 14.1%.  With a fruity start this wine has good grip and a racy, mineral finish.  The fruit is sweeter than other rose but it is not out of balance in the wine.  It will please many. ** Now – 2017.

Four wines from California, Canada, and Texas

I am doing my best to catch up on my tasting notes from the holidays. The pair of wines from Carlisle are undeniably large and flavorful making them fun for a glass or two.  The 2006 Carlisle, Syrah, Sonoma County is in the best shape with its fuzzy dark flavors.  The 2006 Carlisle, Two Acres Red Wine, Russian River Valley has better focus but I suspect it will soon become unknit.  From Texas via Lou, the 2011 Duchman Family Winery, Aglianico, Oswald Vineyard also showed oak notes but this time with black fruited Aglianico flavors.  This was open for two days before I tried it but I still liked the bits of fat before the inky finish.  It is a good wine to drink.  The 2012 Chateau des Charmes, Gamay Noir ‘Droit’, St. David’s Bench is completely opposite in style which is what you should expect in a wine made using Gamay from the Niagara Peninsula.  The puckering black fruit and stone flavored finish make you revisit the glass time and time again.  Another interesting bottle from Lou!

2006 Carlisle, Syrah, Sonoma County
Alcohol 15.1%.  This big wine sported savory flavors of blue and dark black fruit.  The initial notes of roast earth dissipated bringing on dense, fuzzy flavors of dark strawberries with a touch of heat in the finish.  This wine still has sweet fruit and ripe structure but the edges are now rounded.  *** Now but will last.

2006 Carlisle, Two Acres Red Wine, Russian River Valley
This wine is a blend of Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Carignane, and Alicante Bouschet.  Alcohol 14.8%.  The nose was jammy like an Australian shiraz.  The round, smokey, leather start took on some weight before transitioning to a laser focused mineral and black fruited finish.  The mouth generally followed the nose with unabashed, jam fruit in the middle.  It did, however, balance out with a nice texture of fine grained wood.  *** Now but will last.

2011 Duchman Family Winery, Aglianico, Oswald Vineyard
Alcohol 14.3%.  The sweet and round fruit mixed with sweet oak before it turned towards black fruited flavors.  It showed both some grip and a hint of fat along with textured tannins.  Things wrapped up with a sweet and inky finish.  ** Now – 2018.

2012 Chateau des Charmes, Gamay Noir ‘Droit’, St. David’s Bench
Alcohol 13%.  The young nose made way towards flavors of black fruit that puckered on the sides of the tongue.  There was a hint of focused ripeness and weight in the middle.  The finish brought watering acidity and a stone-mineral profile.  *** Now – 2017.

Chardonnay from Patrick Piuze and Porter Creek

You might at first believe this post is a comparison of Chardonnay from Chablis and the Russian River Valley.  It is not, rather this post features wine from two producers whose wine I have never tasted before.  Patrick Piuze produces a wide variety of cuvees from Chablis using fruit that he purchases.  His Terroir series of wines are produced from village level fruit.  The 2012 Patrick  Piuze, Terroir de Fyé, Chablis proved very young over several days leaving the impression of tight precision.  It is a bit hard to enjoy right now so it might be one to enjoy next winter. Porter Creek focuses in on wines made from Burgundy and Rhone grape varieties.  The vines are all located on hillsides.  The wines are meant to express their origins through the use of natural fermentation and restrained oak.  Having no previous experience I certainly cannot identify the origins of the 2013 Porter Creek, Chardonnay Old Vine, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County but I can tell you that the balance of flavor, mouthfeel (both creamy and textured), and lively acidity is very attractive.  I might even suggest this wine needs several more months of age.  If you are a fan of the 2012 Neyers, Chardonnay 304, Sonoma County than be sure to grab a few bottles of the Porter Creek.  For me it hits the mark of enlivening acidity, green apple flavors, and mouthfeel.  Thanks to Andy for recommending this wine.  These wines were purchased at MacArthur Beverages.

2012 Patrick  Piuze, Terroir de Fyé, Chablis – $25
Imported by MacArthur Liquors.  This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from the village of Fyé that was fermented with indigenous yeasts partially in barrel.  Alcohol 12%.  On the nose, smoke gently mixed with stones and some ripe fruit.  There were precise flavors in the mouth that remained young and tight.  The flavors bore apple hints, almost tart acidity, and apple-like texture.  It showed good mouth weight.  ** 2015-2019.

2013 Porter Creek, Chardonnay Old Vine, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County – $34
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from old vines.  Alcohol 13.9%.  The nose bore articulated aromas of ripe, green apple.  In the mouth was a lively start with flavors of green apple and white fruit.  A creamy mouth feel came out quickly before the wine became even livelier in the middle.  There was a stone like finish with a textured aftertaste that had some tannins.  Overall a light flavor style.  *** Now-2019.

Tasting Wines from Edmunds St John, Fausse Piste, Linden, Sandlands, and Two Shepherds

Lou texted me that he tried one of the wines he received in the inaugural shipment from Sandlands Vineyards.  It was special.  Sandlands Vineyards is the project of Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua.  Tegan has been making wine at Turley Wine Cellars for some time.  These Sandlands wines are made with fruit from old, head-trained and dry-farmed vines in California.  Lou mentioned he had a bottle of the Trousseau Noir so I knew I had to acquire a bottle of William Allen’s Two Shepherds Trousseau Gris.  We then added in wines of  Fausse Piste from Washington, Linden Vineyards from Virginia, and Edmunds St John from California.  Our tasting was born.

I will keep this brief by just posting my thoughts.  The wines of Sandlands are indeed special and exciting.  You must get on the waiting list right away!  I am digging Trousseau Gris and Trousseau Noir from California.  Those in Washington, DC, are fortunate that you can buy the Two Shepherds wines at Weygandt Wines.  Ask Tim  or Warren if there is any Trousseau Gris left because William Allen has no more of the 2012 vintage.  While you are at the shop pick up the Edmunds St John, Rocks + Gravel.  You will be strongly satisfied drinking it now but be sure to cellar some as well.  Over the years I have felt there was a certain funk or lurking flavor that I did not like in the red wines of Virginia.  The Linden, Claret moves beyond that and lives up to the classic Claret name.  Thanks to Phil at MacArthur Beverages for putting this in my sights.

2012 Two Shepherds, Trousseau Gris, Fanucchi Vineyard, Russian River Valley
This wine is 100% Trousseau Gris.  Alcohol 13.8%.  The color was of a bright copper kettle.  The nose was beautiful with ripe, floral aromas.  In the mouth the round flavors became racy in the middle then took on dry red flavors with integrated acidity.  The flavors were well supported becoming ripe and gentle in the finish.  On the second night there was a lovely, dense body to this unique wine.  ***(*) Now-2017.

2013 Fausse Piste, Garde Mange, Columbia Valley
This wine is 100% Syrah. Alcohol 14.1%.  This began with raisin-like, savory flavors, integrated acidity, and structure in the finish.  It even had a little thickness.  On the second night this showed better balance with bramble, some herbs black fruit, and ruggedness. ** Now-2017.

2012 Sandlands Vineyards, Trousseau, Sonoma County
This wine is 100% Trousseau Noir.  Alcohol 13.2%.  The color was a light garnet.  The nose was aromatic with vintage perfume and aromas familiar to the Trousseau Gris.  In the mouth were serious flavors.  The structure was there and matched the flavors in the finish.  It was a little salty, expansive, and beautiful.  It took on a little tart fruit.  The acidity was lovely, crisp and matched the eventually tangy flavors.  **** Now-2019.

2012 Edmunds St John, Rocks + Gravel, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
This wine is a blend of 55% Grenache, 27% Syrah, and 18% Mourvedre.  Alcohol ?  The nose had some enjoyable funk with red fruit but remained tight.  There were lively flavors of ripe, mixed berries that picked up intensity.  It continued to drink like a brighter Rhone-styled wine.  *** Now-2025.

2011 Linden, Claret
This wine is a blend of 44% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc.  Alcohol 13.2%.  The nose revealed dried herb and wood overlaying bright fruit and some meat.  The flavors followed the nose with bright acidity, ripe tannins, and some Big Red notes.  This was a youthful wine with young tasting fruit.  It became a little herbacious with black graphite, and spicy, drying tannins that coated the mouth.  With air this showed dry flavors of bright fruit.  **(*) 2015-2019.

2010 Sandlands Vineyards, Mataro
This wine is 100% Mataro.  Alcohol 13.6%.  The nose remained right.  In the mouth there was more fruit than the Trousseau Noir along with an interesting note of polished old wood.  In a sense it was similar to the Trousseau Noir in profile.  There were enjoyable dense aromas, a little savory flavor, black fruit, attractive graphite, and old-wood notes.  Needs cellar time.  Lou reported this was great on the third night.  ***(*) 2016-2026.

Trousseau Gris and Noir from Jura and Russian River Valley

I find it hard to believe that the summer is ending.  A quick review of my files, both digital and paper, confirm what I already know, I am once again behind in posting my tasting notes.  As such I have not written about my recent enjoyment of Trousseau Gris and Trousseau Noir.  There is not much Trousseau Gris in California, what I have tasted is all from the Fanuchi-Wood Road Vineyard, so it is interesting to see the variation in style.  The 2012 Wind Gap, Trousseau Gris, Fanuchi-Wood Road Vineyard, Russian River Valley appears on the cusp of settling down.  There are rich offerings on the nose and in the mouth with enough crisp acidity to move it along.  Part of the fun is tasting the different flavors as the wine warms up.   For me the 2012 Benedicte & Stephane Tissot, Trousseau, Arbois is all about the nose.  Simply beautiful!  The flavors were not as developed but did show a minerality that must be due to the limestone soils.  Until I can catch up on my tasting notes I simply recommend you try all the Trousseau based wines that you can!  The change in style will be refreshing.  The Wind Gap was purchased at Flatiron Wines and the Tissot at MacArthur Beverages.

2012 Wind Gap, Trousseau Gris, Fanuchi-Wood Road Vineyard, Russian River Valley – $26
This wine is 100% Trousseau Gris sourced from primarily sandy soils.  The fruit was foot crushed before whole cluster fermentation in concrete eggs.  It was raised in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak.  Alcohol 12.3%.  The color was a light yellow straw.  There were rich aromas on the nose, almost petrol like, developing into the tropical spectrum, all the while remaining crisp.  In the mouth were rich, white fruit flavors, and a nice body in the middle.  The crisp acidity was present at the start and middle, supporting the strong flavors which were reminiscent of red wine when warm.  The structure was mild before the somewhat rough flavors in the finish and long aftertaste.  **(*) Now-2015.

2012 Benedicte & Stephane Tissot, Trousseau, Arbois – $25
Imported by Potomac Selections.  This wine is 100% Trousseau Noir sourced from biodynamic vines averaging 40 years of age located on limestone soils.  It was raised in a combination of oak barrel and tank.  Alcohol 13%.  There was a good fragrance that I found hard to describe but my mom noted as incense.  In the mouth was a gentle start with flavors following the aromas.  There was some ripe blue, tart flavors on the tongue, and ripe texture.  Though the wine was lighter in profile it had some cat’s tongue tannins.  With air it showed good graphite notes that mixed with blue and black fruit.  A very solid wine.  ** Now-2015.

“[S]oil of nearly absolute perfection in every particular”: An Historic Tasting of Joseph Swan Vineyards

Joseph Swan Vineyards is located in the Russian River Valley.  This valley lays north-west of San Francisco reaching within miles of the Pacific Ocean.  Named after the Russian-American Company this area has been home to vineyards since the settlers first planted vines in the early 19^th century.  The modern history of wine production only dates back to the 1960s.  This is when local growers began switching to cool climate grapes.  Amongst this group, Joseph Swan is recognized as a pioneer in the production of Pinot Noir.[1]  I recently attended a tasting dinner of Joseph Swan wines as the guest of Mannie Berk, The Rare Wine Co., at the Tribeca Grill in New York City.  This tasting featured a deep lineup of vintages from six different decades which focused on the flagship wine the Trenton Estate Pinot Noir.  Two weeks after the dinner I tasted several more wines at the winery.  Incredibly, only two people have produced these wines, Joseph Swan and his son-in-law Rod Berglund.

Rod Berglund and Mannie Berk.

My glass of the 1973 Trenton Estate Pinot Noir that evening was a gorgeous wine combining both youthful aromas and bottle aged complexity.  It was poured from magnum, which undoubtedly contributed towards its state.  I kept recalling how the vines were only planted four years prior.  It also reminded me strongly of the 2011 Trenton Estate Pinot Noir.   I asked Rod about this similarity and he expressed that regardless of vintage and viticultural practices the nature of Trenton Estate shines through.  He feels there is a real move toward the center of winemaking in the valley and thinks the next generation is going to develop and highlight the terroir of their vineyards.  Joseph Swan did this from the beginning with the 1973 vintage.  Rod recollects that only one bottle and four magnums of the 1973 are left in the old stone cellar.  The 2011 vintage is fortunately still available at the winery and perhaps just a small bit at the Rare Wine Co.  I strongly recommend you seek out this unique and timeless wine before it disappears.

THE HISTORY

In 1967, Joseph Swan paid $43,000 for 13 acres, a two story barn, an old farm house with a cellar, and a few other buildings.[2] He purchased the estate from Florence Entzminger who was the daughter of Philip Glass, the first postmaster of Trenton.  The house itself had once been the old post office, telephone exchange, and general store for Trenton.  Surrounding the house were old Zinfandel vines dating back to the 19^th century.  It was these particular vines which provided the fruit for the first wine to bear the Joseph Swan label, the 1968 Zinfandel.  The wine was made and stored in the cellar of the house.  No one knows how much was made but our particular bottles came from the old cellar.

Crop from Illustrated atlas of Sonoma County, California. Reynolds & Proctor. 1898. David Rumsey Map Collections.

The origins of the Zinfandel vineyard can be traced to the late 19^th century.  The estate is located just east of Forestville near the area which is still known as Vine Hill.  In the early 1880s William Hill of New York purchased 6,000 acres of the El Molino land grant.[3]  Here he planted 200 acres of vineyard in the Trenton area.  It is said that the small town of Trenton developed as a result.  The area known as Vine Hill was subdivided into 50 farms of which 27 were settled by the spring of 1885.[4]  Philip Glass became the first postmaster of Trenton in November 1887[5], a position he kept until retirement in 1898.[6]  In 1891 it was recorded that 19 different people were mostly growing Zinfandel exclusively to be made into wine.[7]  These vineyards ranged from eight to 65 acres in size.  The vineyard of Philip Glass contained 27 bearing acres of Zinfandel and Burger vines which yielded some 16 tons of fruit.  It appears that William Hill produced his last vintage in 1891.  The following year no wine was made and the winery was leased to Dresel & Co.[8]  The number of acres bearing fruit must have continued increasing.  Two years after Miller & Hotchkiss enlarged the Trenton Winery[9] they leased the William Hill winery.[10]  That same year in 1893, Philip Glass’ vineyard had shrunk to 23 bearing acres but it yielded 65 tons of fruit.  Philip Glass was amongst the handful that produced wine.  To do so he employed some 3,000 gallons of oak and redwood cooperage.

The greatest Pinot Noir Joseph Swan ever drunk was Kanaye Nagasawa’s 1946 or 1947 Fountaingrove.  Another great bottle was from a nearby vineyard and dated back to the 1940s.  Despite these successful efforts Joseph Swan is considered the first to plant Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley with the intention of making wine.  At the time there were not very many good Pinot Noirs.  Hanzell and Martin Ray were making good wines but it was not yet a proven combination of grape and location.  Andre Tchelistcheff told Joseph Swan to plant Burgundy grapes because it was a cool area so in 1969 the Zinfandel vines were pulled out.  The vines were beginning to fail and with Zinfandel everywhere there was no point in keeping them.

Joel Peterson, Joseph Swan, Andre Tchelistcheff. circa 1974. Image via Rare Wine Co from Joseph Swan Winery.

The year the Zinfandel was ripped out the vineyard was first planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Joseph Swan continued to produce Zinfandel while his young vineyard matured.  To do so he purchased fruit from other vineyards for the 1969-1976 vintages.  The Zinfandel sources moved around throughout the years.  One source became the Mancini vineyard.  This parcel of Zinfandel was planted in 1920s.  It is separated from the Zeigler Vineyard by only a street yet these vineyards were always harvested differently.  In fact Frank Mancini, when he was 87 years old, thought they had always been different.

Crop from Geologic Map of the Sebastopol 7.5′ Quadrangle. Version 1.0. California Geologic Survey. 2008.

The soil descriptions of the late 19^th century Trenton vineyards typically note “sandy loam” with a few “gravelly loam”.  These most likely refer to the modern Goldridge fine sandy loam and the Altamont gravelly fine sandy loam.[11]  Today the Joseph Swan vineyard is noted for its Goldridge soil.  This soil was originally deposited by an ancient inland sea several million years ago.  Cody showed us samples of the soil obtained when the vineyard was ripped prior to replanting.  They were yellow in color with fine sand grains that could easily be scraped off with a fingernail.  The marine origins were indicated by complete shells some two to three inches in width.  The soils of Philip Glass’s vineyard were noted as “sandy loam” and “adobe”.  The Trenton vineyard lies at the edge of a complex geologic pattern.  Rod noted that adobe is generally the by-product of volcanic activity on the east-side of the Sonoma valley and that there is almost no clay in the current vineyard.  However, back in the 19^th century the vineyard was at least 10 acres bigger.  Rod postulated that when the family owned other land the adobe might be related to the cinder cones located on the other side of the Trenton hill.

An additional block of vineyard was planted in 1974 just south of the 1969 block.  That same year the present winery was built, affectionately called “the tin shed.”  The tin shed is located just inside the estate entrance near the top of a hill.  The building sits relatively low with a crush pad and shading trees on one side and wooden lattice work bordering the vineyard sides.  Access is gained through thick wooden doors.  There is an intimate feel inside no doubt due to the bounty of fruit from the last two vintages.  The wooden and stainless steel barrels of wine were stacked three high, past the red I-beam in the ceiling which signifies more typical volumes.  On the wall is the historic photograph of Joel Peterson, Joseph Swan, and Andre Tchelistcheff.  Joel Peterson interned with Joseph Swan from 1972-1976 and helped build the tin shed.  It is here that he produced his first two vintages of Ravenswood wine.  Joel believes the photograph was taken in 1974 capturing Andre Tchelistcheff holding a vine suffering from Pierce’s disease.

Until recently the 1973 vintage was believed to be the first commercial release for Pinot Noir but this honor is actually owed to the 1972 vintage.  Accordingly to Rod, he was approached by a friend who worked with Joseph Swan in the early years and still has three bottles and one magnum of the 1972.  Rod has not found the bottling records but knows it was sold over at least a several month period.  Not too much could have been sold for the three year old vines bore a very small crop.  The 1973 vintage would then represent a more commercial volume of production.

Joseph Swan planted Chardonnay when he first planted the vineyard in 1969.  The first commercial Chardonnay was the 1974 vintage.  He could not get any new French oak barrels so he bought some Bourbon barrels.  He prepared the barrels by scraping them out.  For his first vintage he fermented the Chardonnay in these barrels.  Joseph Swan soon learned you could not really scrap everything out.  The alcohol of the wine was higher than expected from just the grapes.  Rod said it was an interesting wine, not quite Maderized and while others liked it, Joseph Swan did not.  The 1975 vintage was the first Chardonnay vintage where Joseph Swan felt he hit it right.  It probably helped that he did not use the Bourbon barrels.  The first few Chardonnay vintages were all non-malolactic wines with naturally high acidity.  This style was not typical for California at the time.  Joseph Swan produced two different lots of Chardonnay in the 1980 vintage, one underwent malolactic fermentation and the other did not.  Unfortunately both lots were bottled with the same label.

In the early years everything was bottled from barrel and not tank.  At first they used to bottle both in regular size and magnums.  The magnums came from different warehouse so they were more expensive than regular bottles.  Joseph Swan would bottle the best barrels later and give these bottles to his best friends and those who supported him.  In 1980 he bought a bottling tank so everything from that vintage forward is consistent.  Rob figures the early barrel variations which Joseph Swan originally noticed are no longer as evident due to the age of the wine.   The early vintages were finished with unbranded corks.  It was not only a lot harder to get equipment and materials back then; there were a lot fewer choices.  By the mid-1970s the corks were branded. Rod feels this was probably done because Joseph was often in France and observed the practice.  In the 1980s many of the early wines were recorked with branded corks.  The reason and extent of this is not known but believed to be limited to the library wines from the early 1970s.

Joseph Swan had a particular vision when he started out.  In 1980s his perspective shifted and he felt if a wine was not a vin de garde, it wasn’t worth making.  He spent a lot of time drinking “ancient” wines and also took periodic trips to France with Kermit Lynch.  Joseph Swan wanted to make wine that was so bitterly hard and tannic, that it would take 20 years before one could drink it.  Once a year Joseph Swan would cook dinner and have many people over to taste his wines.  He always asked everyone to take notes about the wines which he would review afterwards.  Despite the profusion of notes Joseph Swan would describe his wines using five words, “showing fruit” or “drink or hold”.  Helen Turley came over when the 1984 Pinot Noir was first served.  Some said 1984 was the greatest Pinot Noir Joseph Swan had ever made.  Rod thought it was the worst wine Joseph Swan ever made, that it would never be drinkable.  Joseph Swan did not know, concluding it will either be good or it never will be.  Rod felt it took 20 years before it was drinkable.  Joseph Swan’s final vintages in the 1980s continued to be backward and meant for the cellar.  Rod first worked with the 1987 vintage then took over the vineyard and winery upon the death of Joseph Swan in 1989.

The viticultural practice has changed three times throughout the estate’s history.  Rod likens the origins to Burgundy but with a Californian sensibility.  There was 12×12 foot spacing at first so a tractor would fit.  Then it was reduced to 6×10 with Rob going further to 1m x 2m.  Rob could have gone tighter due to low yields.  Joseph Swan originally bought trellising equipment but abandoned it.  The vines would grow up to the top of stake then the tops cut off.  The spurs would keep growing off creating arms which Joseph Swan did not like it.  He had envisioned three stations at the top, middle, and bottom.  Joseph Swan would kneel before the vine and view it in an attempt to see ahead two years in the future.  He was the only would who could visualize this growth such that a stations would not shade those below.  It took forever to trim the grape vine because he kept looking at it and pruning was often finished in June.  Rod recalled that Joseph Swan pruned vines so severely, that he was always fighting the vines.  He always wanted lower yields.

Rob pruned the vineyard one time when Joseph Swan was sick.  The picking crew could not figure out the method and he realized he could not prune the vineyard himself so adopted a trellising vertical shoot positioning system.  Rob leaves more wood out there so more can grow and vine can put energy into growing naturally.  He will train a cane down one or both ways on the wire so that the canes come up between wires.  This provides a thin curtain so light reach all of the clusters.  Rod had to change his practice facing vine decline due to the old vines not producing well.  He switched to cane pruning so the 2011 vintage of Trenton Estate is sourced from roughly 80% cane pruned vines.  Rod lets the barrels develop individually until blended for bottling.  This allows him to believe the cane pruned vines have better quality wine.

VINTAGE COMMENTS

The 1973 was included because of Rod’s recent experience.  One evening Josh Reynolds came to the winery during the barrel tasting weekend.  He brought scores of bottles to taste.  Rob kept opening up older Pinot Noir until it was late and he thought no one would appreciate them.  He recalled there was still some 1973 magnums and thinking it was a dead vintage, brought them up.   Upon pouring the wine everyone sobered up and thought it was wine of the night.

The 1997 vintage yielded the biggest crop they had by far even though he thinned half the crop off some vines.  The yields were 1-0.75 tons.  The 1997 Pentagon originated from two barrels of wine aging in 100% new oak.  Rod thought he might be able to detect a difference in the 25 barrel blend if they were left out so he figured if he could not really notice he would bottle them separately.  That left the issue of coming up with a name since they never released a Reserve.  He settled on Pentagon, somewhat as a joke but also from the irregular five-sided section the fruit came from.  This block was surrounded on two sides by Chardonnay.   Tom Rocchioli had a three-cornered bock and the Octagon block wine was named after octagon house.   Rod continued the pentagon theme by pricing it at $55.55 per bottle and limiting availability to three bottles per person.  As for the label it was based on black t-shirts that had a red swan for visibility.  It turned out this was the only time he bottled a second pinot noir.  In 2007 Rod thought he could do it again for he had a good, decent sized crop.  He had two barrels from the same block but when he took them out of the blend it made a difference.  So Rod included them in the final blend.

Both 2007 and 2009 were no thinking vintages.   The 2009 vintage was an easy and wonderful vintage.  The 2011 vintage is the current release for the Trenton Estate Pinot Noir.  It was a very cold vintage but Rod feels cool vintages are to their benefit.  The 2011 came from primarily older vines but some younger vines as well. The 2011 has some grapes from vines replanted in 1990s.  So this blend represents a lot of Swan clone vines as well as all five Dijon clones.   Joseph Swan made Rob promise to graft all vines over to Dijon clones after his death.  Rod could not do this.  He thinks of the vineyard in terms of areas and not clones, such as where the vines are on the slope.   Thus he can pick by ripeness parameters.  Rod feels the clonal differences becomes secondary after a few years and that the site is more important in the Trenton vineyard.  This is highlighted by the Trenton View wine.  In the Trenton View vineyard the upper part of the hill has similar soil to the Trenton Estate.  The lower part transitions to valley floor and tastes more like Saralee Vineyard which is valley floor.  Steve Heimoff once tasted this wine and said it was like “Trenton Estate Jr.”  Rod feels the estate character came through from top and the pretty aspect came from the bottom.

TASTING NOTES

We began with bottles of a Hungarian pétillant wine made as an homage to Huët’s Pétillant.  These bottles had aged in Mannie’s cellar for roughly two years.  It was an appropriate start for Rod, once by chance, made a wine from Furmint.  The tasting notes are organized by type.  Those from the Rare Wine Co. dinner are augmented by notes taken during a subsequent winery visit and from bottles purchased from the winery.  These later notes are indicated below.  This is the second Joseph Swan dinner hosted by the Rare Wine Co.  You may read about the previous event in John Tilson’s Joseph Swan: A California Wine Legend.  I highly recommend you take the time to read through Rod’s newsletters.  He recent writings on balance, feral yeast, and grape seeds ring true to his voice.

2009 Királyudvar, Tokaji Pezsgő, Henye, Brut
The nose smells of some age with yellow fruit and some toast.  In the mouth the round yellow fruit becomes honied then dry spices came out.  There were small, fine and firm bursting bubbles which became still towards the finish as maturity and toast notes came out.  The acidity came out as well as riper flavors with dry minerals.  There was a dry, textured minerally aftertaste.  Drinking well right now.

Chardonnay

2012 Joseph Swan, Faux Pas, Trenton Estate
Tasted at winery.  Tropical notes come through on the nose.  There was some weight to the racy flavors that became creamy towards the finish.  It had both supporting acidity and some toast.

2011 Joseph Swan, Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard
Purchased at winery.  The flavors of ripe lemons existed in a glycerin body that was rich in feel yet had grip.  It showed a little toast in the finish.  This was best on the second night.

1975 Joseph Swan, Chardonnay
From the darker bottle with the sound cork.  The color was a clear, light amber.  The nose was slightly stinky with almost piercing aromas and low-lying petrol.  In the mouth this was clearly a mature wine due to the subtle flavor of nuts towards the finish.  There was some density to the flavors as well as watering acidity.  Others reported the second bottles had apple flavors and good acidity.

Rosé

2012 Joseph Swan, Rosé, The Vineyard Next Door, Russian River Valley
Tasted and purchased at winery.  Slightly stinky at first the nose cleared off to reveal cherry aromas.  In the mouth were cherry flavors nearly reminiscent of a ripe, rather light red wine.  There was a round mouthfeel with slightly earthy notes and a delicately textured ripe finish.  This drank best with extended air.

Pinot Noir

2011 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
Second bottle purchased at winery.  The nose was very aromatic and beautiful with continuity in the mouth.  There were cherry fruit flavors with acidity inside before the flavors morph from red to blacker red.  The fruit was very clean and took on some tannic grip with air.  Drinking well now but will mature.

2010 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton View Vineyard
Tasted at winery.  The young fruit revealed elegant Pinot Noir aromas.  The tart red fruit was simpler than the Trenton Estate.  There was a citric note before the black and red flavors of the finish.  It left an impression of black minerals.

2010 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Great Oak Vineyard
Tasted at winery.  The nose was tight with robust aromas of darker red and black fruit.  In the mouth the tart red fruit became blacker with rounded edges and integrated acidity.  There were some tannins evident in the back end.

2009 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The nose was subtle and tight revealing some dark aromas.  In the mouth were riper, richer dense young fruit.  The flavors were more assertive but good.  There seemed to be less acidity with respect to the fruit.

2007 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The nose returned to the likes of the 2011 vintage with fresh, concentrated red fruit.  In the mouth were brighter and redder flavors that showed more tannic grip and good acidity.  The cherry flavors made way to a larger and darker, assertive finish with lots of grip.

2006 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The nose was youthful with primary fruit but developed darker, brambly notes of Pinot Noir.  In the mouth were ripe, vigorous flavors of red and black fruit which showed ripeness.  The acidity came out followed by black minerals, ripe notes, and an assertive finish.

2000 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
There was a rich, aromatic nose that clearly showed bottle age.  The nose did fall off with air.  In the mouth the flavors of strawberry jam were soft and enjoyable.  There were attractive and expansive flavors of earth and mature red fruit.

1997 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Pentagon, Trenton Estate
The nose was fresh with menthol and blacker fruit.  In the mouth were red, ripe cherry fruit that became blacker towards the finish.  This was a bigger wine with ripeness returning in the finish.  There was certainly structure inside.

1995 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
There was a fresh hint on the nose with raspberry and pastille aromas.  With air the maturity came out along with perfume and leather.  The flavors began with old wood and red fruit that was lighter in nature.  It had watering acidity, grip from the structure, and old notes in the finish.

1992 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
This had ripe, grippy fruit, acidity, and very fine citric tannins.  There was weight to the flavors which draped over the tongue.

1985 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
There were hints of menthol and freshness on the nose before it became sweaty.  The red fruit leaned towards ripe, cranberry.  The tannins were still there.

1984 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
There were attractive earthy, mature leather notes and still noticeable tannins.  There was just a hint of ripeness at the front as well as acidity on the sides of the tongue.  It was a little rough in the finish.

1983 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The more subtle nose was complex with herbal aromas.  In the mouth the drying structure matched the citric red fruit which became powerful, cranberry flavors in the finish.  This was matched by powerful citric tannins.

1982 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The nose was old with both maturity and complexity.  The red fruit became lighter in the middle before the tannins came back out.

1976 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
This smelled very mature with bacon notes.  The flavors were earthy with a vintage perfume hint.  There was an old flavor profile in general with ripe cranberry and salivating acidity in the finish.

1973 Joseph Swan, Pinot Noir, Trenton Estate
The nose was fresh and still had aromas of primary fruit.  In the mouth were fresh and very youthful flavors of red fruit.  This was a light wine with, clean, lithe fruit and just a hint of leather and ripeness.  A lovely wine that will surely last.

Syrah

2006 Joseph Swan, Syrah, Great Oak Vineyard
Tasted at winery.  There were heavy aromas of berries, spices, and dried flowers.  The flavors were tight in the mouth with black and red fruit.  The structure was evident with drying tannins before light flavors came out in the back.

Zinfandel

2008 Joseph Swan, Zinfandel, Mancini Ranch
Tasted at winery.  The nose was evocative of macerated, jammy berries.  In the mouth the mixed berries had lipstick and powdery notes.  This wine had a lot of texture, particularly in the finish where there were drier, red fruit flavors.

1968 Joseph Swan, Zinfandel
This was a markedly different, darker color.  The nose bore older, vintage fruit and sour cherry.  The flavors, as expected, were completely different.  It began with leaner flavors then old fruit and acidity picked up.

---

[0] “…which gives the finest climate, for peaches, and nearly all other kinds of fruits, to be found anywhere. This, coupled with a soil of nearly absolute perfection in every particular, goes to make up the great Sebastopol and Forestville fruit region.” Journal: Appendix. Reports, Volume 3. 1893. URL: http://books.google.com/books?id=bFQk-S_gjzQC&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
[1] Haeger, John Winthrop. North American Pinot Noir.  2004.
[2] The majority of this post is derived from notes of Rod’s comments during the Rare Wine Co. dinner and subsequent emails.  A few comments came from a brief conversation with Cody at the winery.  Thus any mistakes are solely my own.
[3] Hutten, Penny. Forestville. Arcadia Publishing. 2008.
[4] Daily Alta California, Volume 38, Number 12740, 1 March 1885. California Digital Newspaper Collection.
[5] Daily Alta California, Volume 42, Number 13963, 23 November 1887. California Digital Newspaper Collection.
[6] Los Angeles Herald, Volume 25, Number 173, 22 March 1898. California Digital Newspaper Collection.
[7] Directory of the Grape Growers, Wine Makers and Distillers of California. 1891. URL: http://books.google.com/books?id=n2zJGIYYMTQC&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
[8] The Vineyards in Sonoma County. 1893. URL: http://books.google.com/books?id=8dZFwOpgr9EC&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
[9] Pacific Wine & Spirit Review. Volume 39. 1898. URL: https://archive.org/details/pacificwinespiri39sanfrich
[10] Pacific Wine & Spirit Review, Volume 34. 1896. URL: https://archive.org/details/pwsr34271895231896sanfrich
[11] Whitney, Milton. Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, Volume 17. 1919. URL: http://books.google.com/books?id=LxggrQn1ZzMC&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q&f=false