Vineyard & Winery Management

January - February 2012

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MANAGEMENT MARKET WATCH C o n t i n u e d because that is what the land called for. My own tastes for great wine were shaped more by Burgundy than Bordeaux, so my predilection has been to bring out the elegant side of the grape, to try for intensity without undue weight." John Olney, vice president/ winemaker at Ridge Vineyards' Lytton Springs winery in northern Sonoma County, added, "I have definitely noticed a shift in demand for lower-alcohol, balanced, food- friendly wines. Wine scores from reputable critics still have their place in the fine-wine arena, but there is a noticeably newfound con- fidence among wine drinkers in the United States. Increasingly, they trust what their palates are telling them. And that's healthy." In looking at my tasting notes (from 1972 to 2009) of Ridge's Lytton Springs and Geyserville zinfandel-based wines, I see only minor differences in the alcohol and other technical specifications. Yet the wines continue to improve, and during the last decade have risen to an even higher level of quality. SAME GRAPE, DIFFERENT VITICULTURE With a sly smile on his face, Ehren Jordan, winemaker at Napa Valley's Turley Wine Cel- lars, reminded me, "Wilfred, we haven't changed our winemaking techniques." That answer was in response to my statement of how much I enjoyed the 2009 Turley Wine Cellars Pesenti Paso Robles Zinfandel. The wine seemed strik- ingly elegant, with superb varietal flavors. I've tasted Turley's power- ful zins since the early 1990s and I swear they do not taste the same now as they did then. The wines are better than ever and show incredible polish and style. "The changes (you are enjoying) are because of the improved work in the vineyards," Jordan said. Could the vineyards have finally caught up to zinfandel's ultimate potential? Have we misunderstood it all these years – particularly in the last decade, when countless som- meliers, retailers and consumers WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM The character of each Ridge zinfandel is determined largely by its vineyard site, such as the Lytton Springs vineyard. has found various niches with con- sumers, and it appears to me that the wines will only get better, now that viticultural improvements are giving winemakers the opportunity to refine their zins and express the grapes' terroir. According to Olney, "Ridge is a structured and complex. "Our experience is that high- alcohol zins become more alike, less distinguishable, less expres- sive of the vineyard. So if Lytton Springs and Geyserville taste the same, it runs against our most important core value, respect for Clean • Sterilize • Humidify "We can do it all" ... • Bottling Lines • Barrels • Tanks • Floors and Walls •Winery Equipment • Vineyard Equipment We work well under pressure. Built by have assailed zinfandel for its overt ripeness, alcohol and klutziness? Zin is not your typical vinif- era grape. There is no clear blue- print for style, and alcohols can vary greatly. From white zinfandel (12.5% alcohol) to high-octane din- ner wines (to 16%-plus), the variety winery dedicated to making wines of origin. So style is governed by the site. Cooler-climate vineyards like Ponzo (Russian River Valley) and Pagani (Sonoma Valley) are more fruit-driven and direct. Lytton Springs (Dry Creek Valley) and Gey- serville (Alexander Valley) are more • Sterilize bottling lines • Clean stainless steel tanks • Clean and maintain barrels • Sanitize floors and walls • Steam clean equipment We'll get you all steamed up. ARS/Pressure Washer Company We work well under pressure. 800-735-9277 or www.cleanwinery.com JAN - FEB 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 29

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