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December 2006
"Better late than never" is a phrase probably found in every
language—appropriate here because our last newsletter appeared
in April! One hazard of our mom-and-pop business is that we become incredibly busy
during the growing season. But now that harvest is over, we have lots of news
to report including a new wine release, a special award, and the latest on biodynamics!
Benvenuti 2003 Superiore!
We're really excited to introduce our second vintage of Superiore,
Montemaggiore's special blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah!
The 2003 Superiore is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Syrah—it has lots of subtle
flavors brought about by a relatively cool growing season in 2003.
The aroma is classic Superiore: juicy berries underpinned by complex spiciness.
On your palate, succulent black cherry and kalamata tapenade
balance toasty oak, ripe tannins and a round, full-bodied structure.
To learn more about this wine, check out the wine area
on our website, and as usual it can be ordered on-line.
Order Holiday Wine by Sunday 12/17
Need a unique holiday gift for family, friends or colleagues? For those of you desiring Montemaggiore wines, please get your orders in by next Sunday (December 17) because Monday the 18th will be our last day for shipments. Your shipments will be received before the end of the week (12/22) given that the FedEx and UPS gods shine upon us. Feel free to order online, send a fax, or call us (707.433.9499)—specify a holiday note if you'd like it sent as a gift!
2003 Montemaggiore Syrah named "Best"
We were surprised and delighted to win the "Best of Class" award at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair in October for our 2003 Paolo's Vineyard Syrah. The Harvest Fair Competition is the premier showcase for Sonoma County Wines. Over sixty wineries submitted Sonoma County-grown Syrahs in a single price "class" (Cabernet and Chardonnay, for example, have several price classes, e.g., <$15, $15-$30). The judges taste each wine, deeming very few wines as deserving a Gold Medal (the un-obvious aspect of wine judging is that several wines can win a gold medal). When all judges award the same wine a gold medal, it receives a "Double Gold". The judges then retaste all Gold (or Double Gold) Medal wines and choose a single wine for the Best of Class. In essence, this award means that Montemaggiore was named the best Syrah in Sonoma County, with a Double Gold Medal.
2006 Harvest: Low Quantity, High Quality!
Although 2006 was a difficult year in the vineyard for us (for example, heat stress with 100+ degree temperatures for 10 days in a row), the harvest went very smoothly! We've been retraining our Syrah vines using a different pruning methodology, so we anticipated a "sacrifice year" when our yields would be low—2006 is that sacrifice vintage. We had about half the typical crop, which will translate to half the amount of wine. The good news is that with the lower crop yields, both our Cabernet and our Syrah vines had plenty of energy to produce very ripe grapes. So you can expect really intense wines and ripe berry flavors in our 2006 wines (when we release them in 2009!).
Wine Lovers from Texas
Do you have a favorite friend or couple whose passion for wine matches yours?
Perhaps special friends you travel to wine country with? This month we introduce you
to two of the nicest couples from Dallas who have
been traveling and appreciating wines together for many years. Perhaps Jimmie
(on the left) was the original oenophile, but he roped in the rest of the bunch,
fired up their passion for wine, and now the two couples are unstoppable wine
travelers! Their current focus is on small, high-quality red wine producers in
California and Washington. Hence they discovered Montemaggiore…
2007 is our year for Biodynamics
Next year promises to be a milestone in Montemaggiore history because we anticipate being Demeter certified for Biodynamics. Biodynamics is an agricultural method we adopted in 2005 as the next step beyond organic farming, which we started practicing in 2001 when we purchased our estate vineyards. With its focus on biodiversity, soil fertility, and harnessing nature's energy, we believe biodynamics brings strength, vitality and a unique sense of place to Montemaggiore wines. Coincidentally, the more we learn about biodynamics, the more Vincent recognizes and understands the farming techniques his father brought over from Montemaggiore, Italy.
What exactly is involved with Biodynamic farming? One important principle is composting. Each year in early December, we bring 80 tons of fresh cow manure from an organic dairy down the road (luckily our compost pile is about 1000 yards from our house), work with it over the next eleven months, and then spread it after the next year's harvest. Special herbal preparations are applied to the compost, and other preparations are applied directly in the vineyard throughout the year. The compost and preparations act like vitamins, bringing vitality to the microbial and fungal life in the soil, which travels up the ecological chain to insects and to all the flora and fauna in the vineyard. This enhances the energy and uniqueness of our soils and our vineyard, which brings vitality and individuality to the wine's aroma and texture.
We believe Biodynamics will help us create wines with a unique sense of place, tasting like no other, and filled with great character. Exactly what we've been dreaming for our wines!
Buon Natale, and we wish all the best to you and your family in 2007!
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