In exceptional European wine regions, such as Burgundy and Bordeaux in France and Borolo in Italy, top vineyards are titled as such and specialize in wines from specified grapes. A prime example is the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru in Burgundy where the producer of the same name makes the world’s most expensive wines from Pinot Noir.
Garys’ Vineyard in the Fog | Courtesy Pisoni Family Vineyards
California is a much younger wine region that is just now identifying its best vineyards and which grapes perform at the highest level therein. High-quality wine grapes typically require cooler temperatures and certain soil types. Growers also must have a willingness to employ techniques, such as limiting water and crop thinning, which greatly reduces crop yields.
[blockquote3]
“Hyde Vineyards has provided custom farming …
which makes rich, spicy and complex wines
that are among the new world’s most
delicious and best-aging Chardonnays.”
[/blockquote3]
The To Kalon Vineyard | Courtesy Constellation Brands
This all sounds logical in 2016, but when the developers of these vineyards began these practices many years ago it was quite risky. Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were minority grapes in California and no one was paying a premium for them. Therefore, high-quality, low-yield farming only made sense for those with vision and faith. Luckily for us, these growers displayed both.
The Garys | Courtesy Pisoni Family Vineyards
The To Kalon Vineyard was first planted in Napa Valley’s Oakville region in the 1800s. In the 1960s, Robert Mondavi brought it fame by making world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignons from the fruits of these soils. These grapes are now among the world’s most sought after and used in the wines of Opus One Winery, Paul Hobbs Winery, Schrader Cellars and other Napa big guns, which are among the most highly esteemed and priced Cabernets in the world.
Garys’ Vineyard, in the cool and foggy Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County, is as iconic as any Pinot Noir terroir in California. Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni created this vineyard. In addition to making their own wines, Pisoni and ROAR, they sell to such Pinot stars as Miner Family Winery and Siduri Wines. Pinots from Garys’ have a signature, bold deliciousness and also deliver crisp acid and minerality. This is the style and quality that brought California Pinot Noir to the world stage.
Looking for terroir that resembled Burgundy’s Côte d’Or led Larry Hyde to plant his eponymous vineyard in the hilly, cool and foggy Carneros region in 1979. Over the years, Hyde Vineyards has provided custom farming for such Chardonnay superstars as Kistler Vineyards, Ramey Wine Cellars and Patz & Hall, which makes rich, spicy and complex wines that are among the new world’s most delicious and best-aging Chardonnays.
These vineyards, their creators and their wines have been a big part of delivering the message that California makes some of the world’s best. I suggest you experience this magic for yourself.
In vino veritas.
Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier and his consulting business wineprowest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or lou@wineprowest.com. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more wine columns.
