The Ojai Vineyard SPRING 2008

SPRING 2008

PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER.
PURCHASE NOW FOR DISCOUNTED PRICING.
OFFER ENDS APRIL 30. WINES TO BE SHIPPED APRIL 14 & MAY 12.

In some respects you might look at our little winery and think nothing has changed in the last 20 years. The general physical structure hasn't, the quantity of wine produced hasn't, yet the wines made now are fundamentally different. Over the last couple of decades we have pushed hard to progress. The pursuit of craft is what I call our effort to make incrementally better wines. Manufacturing is the memorization of repetitive tasks, while craft is the melding of experiential knowledge with intuition to achieve a greater success.

Although we are best known for syrah, in this spring newsletter I also describe our recent work with chardonnay at Solomon Hills, a state-of-the-art vineyard planted on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley appellation. We purchase the grapes by the acre, rather than the ton-which allows us to reduce the crop to concentrate the flavors. To avoid masking the personality of the vineyard we ferment and age this wine in older French oak barrels. The vineyard is in the coolest end of the appellation, so the fruit retains very high natural acidity, making it food friendly. Tightly planted to the superior Dijon clones of chardonnay and farmed meticulously for quality, we have been able to make a wine that is altogether different than a typical California chardonnay.

This wine is emblematic of our intentions for all the wines we produce--which is to continue pushing beyond the expected and attempt to craft something sublime. .

Adam Tolmach

2006 CHARDONNAY BIEN NACIDO
Santa Maria Valley

I would say this is a traditional California chardonnay, but everyone who tasted it on my recent trip to Portland and Seattle thought it was emphatically unlike any California chardonnay they had ever tasted. It was well received, because it seems people are tired of the flat, over-oaked examples they often taste.

I think the fruity aroma from Bien Nacido is not atypical for California chardonnay, but beyond that aspect I will admit it is quite different. Since 2000 we haven't used new oak barrels, but have preferred older, more neutral ones that showcase the vineyards distinctiveness, and every year we restrict the crop which helps emphasize its refreshing texture. We also pick the fruit much earlier than most winemakers do these days, because we like the herb tinged aromas and zippy acidity that are lost when grapes are harvested too ripe.

I know I often say this, but this 2006 Bien Nacido Chardonnay ranks as my favorite since we started making them in 1990.

2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS
Santa Maria Valley

Most of the time I just sit on the mountain here, contemplate my navel, and generally meditate on the meaning of wine. Lately though, I have been obsessing about what people think of what we're making. It might seem compromising, but it can be stimulating to get other people's views.

And so…this fellow I had never met before came by and tasted through the cellar with me. At once I realized he had a great palate, and he knew what he liked. So it vexed me no end when he tasted this wine and thought it was perfectly fine yet not particularly interesting. Oh well. I comforted myself with the thought that I presented him with something so interestingly outside the box that he didn't get it.

I love the fine fruit and excellent balance this vineyard gives. Solomon Hills is on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley Appellation so it's climatically very cool. Planted to the Dijon clones of chardonnay, it has none of the typical California style of tropical fruitiness. It is all lemon curd, piney and minerally-making it a great match with seafood.

2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS SPECIAL BOTTLING #1 Dry
Santa Maria Valley -Botrytis Dry Wine- 750 ml

We made four chardonnays from Solomon Hills in 2006 just to confuse you--or perhaps us! This is one of two that came about because of extraordinary conditions in the vineyard. In 2006 I was astonished to see botrytis mold growing perfectly on the Solomon Hills Chardonnay--a rare occurrence. Botrytis is the agent that allows French and German winemakers to make the most celebrated dessert wines in the world. Besides concentrating flavors and sugars naturally in grapes, it contributes a wonderful honeyed and apricot aroma and flavor to wines. While in this case I was sure the botrytis was a good thing, to be extra careful, the effected clusters were picked ahead of the main harvest of chardonnay, and fermented separately. The result was so dramatic that we bottled it as a special lot. Although completely dry, this wine has an incredible concentration of flavor and richness--and it has interesting honeyed complexities that only botrytis can give. Full throttled, because the botrytis concentrated the flavors, yet light on its feet because the acidity is concentrated as well. We were so excited by this wine we went back to the vineyard manager at Solomon Hills and asked him if there were other buyers that did not want their botrytis effected grapes so we could make a sweet dessert wine. See my notes on the special bottling #2 for the results of that quest. .

2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS SPECIAL BOTTLING #2 Dessert
Santa Maria Valley Botrytis Dessert Wine 375ml

Botrytis is a mold that grows on grapes and is not that common in California. Usually when it appears it's called bunch rot, because secondary infections of bacteria and less desirable molds get in there and turn the clusters into a vinegary mess. Rarely, when the right conditions prevail the botrytis grows and then weather conditions get dry and the botrytis, having poked tiny holes in the berries, causes them to raisin. As the berries raisin the sugars and acidity concentrate--when this happens in Europe it's called the noble rot and is responsible for some of the finest dessert wines made. In 2006 these special conditions afflicted a small portion of the chardonnay clusters at Solomon Hills. Another buyer of chardonnay there did not want any botrytis in their grapes so we were able to pick the botrytis affected clusters ahead of their harvest and made two barrels of this wine. Aromatically the wine shows a lot of botrytis, a rich honeyed character that is quite alluring. From the aroma one expects the wine to taste quite sweet, and while it is sweet the high natural acidity gives it balance and delightful drink-ability. While I am not a huge fan of dessert wines, I find this special bottling quite fascinating.

2005 PINOT NOIR BIEN NACIDO
Santa Maria Valley

In a year known for high yields, these 35-year-old vines produced exactly two tons per acre, which isn't much. The small crop didn't come naturally though-the winter before we had record rainfall, which induced the vines to grow with excessive vigor and set a huge crop of fruit. However, vineyard manager Chris Hammell went through our block innumerable times correcting the excesses, attending to every conceivable detail. By the time he was done there wasn't much fruit left, but every cluster was perfect. At harvest the weather was mild, giving us lots of time to decide on the right moment for picking. The result is one of the most delicious Bien Nacido pinot noirs I can remember. I find myself suspicious of its quality because it is so easy to enjoy.

The moment you pour it from the bottle it is so effusive! The wine is an aromatic bombshell. While fatty and richly flavored, there is a small bite of tannin and acidity in the finish that has you grabbing the bottle for a second glass. Yum.

2005 PINOT NOIR FE CIEGA
Santa Rita Hills

A dear friend who visited recently and tasted this wine after the 2005 Bien Nacido pinot noir was not impressed. He loved the Bien Nacido's friendliness, and thought this wine had less of everything--aroma and flavor. I was flabbergasted, because for me this is absolutely the best pinot noir we have ever made. However, wine is intriguing because it is all about personal perceptions--if you don't like apples, but love oranges, that's just the way it is. Here are my notes:

Winemaker Rick Longoria does a great job farming this terrific site and generously allows us to purchase a small portion of his vineyard's production. Rick and I agree that there is only a moment in time when the character of the vineyard fully expresses itself. A couple of days too soon or too late and all is lost. In 2005 a combination of favorable weather and good timing made for my best Fe Ciega to date. While still a bit young to drink today, it has great style and minerality. There is a provocative animal character that lurks around the dark fruit scents of this wine, setting it apart from other vineyards. It is very subtle and just fascinating!

2004 SYRAH BIEN NACIDO
Santa Maria Valley

The Bien Nacido syrahs we have made often take years to resolve themselves--they are often misunderstood in their youth because of their quirkiness. This one is different because it is so straight ahead and expressive now--and easy to enjoy. In 2004 we had quite a hot spell during the pinot noir harvest and it made its mark on this late ripening syrah, as well.

The tannins are particularly well rounded and pleasantly mouth coating. This syrah is generous and fruity, and not particularly herbal; however, it does have great balance. There is a note of pepper, but the flavors are dominated by flowers and fruits. Don't get me wrong, although this big delicious wine has plenty of aging potential it is approachable today.

2004 SYRAH VERNA'S
Santa Barbara County

Wow, I don't think I've tasted this wine for a year, and it is good! With aromas of tar and toast, it reminds me of one of my favorite southern Rhone wines. Dense, flavorful and, like our 2003 version, something altogether different than our other syrahs. The freshness and peculiarity that the wine displays is entirely the product of this unique vineyard site in Santa Barbara County's Cat Canyon, near the little town of Los Alamos.

2005 SYRAH ROLL RANCH
Ojai Valley, California

Roll Ranch is a wine of many contradictions. Most warm climate syrah has a heavy, fruity sameness that can get tiresome, yet here we have a wine that is lively and has a unique personality. This is the direct result of two factors, site and farming. The vineyard, located in the Upper Ojai Valley, has an unusual climate for a protected southern Californian valley. At an elevation of about 1000 feet, it receives excesses of everything-heat during the day, cooling fog from the ocean at night, and some of the highest rainfall totals in the area. The soil, an alluvial decomposition of the local mountain of note, Topa Topa, is a red sandy loam that is extremely nutrient poor.

The vines either grow with excess vigor or a decided lack thereof depending on annual rainfall, which makes vineyard manager Martin Ramirez's job difficult, to say the least. 2005 was a huge rainfall year, so he had to go through the vineyard again and again trimming out excessively vigorous shoots and trimming clusters. The attention he paid to the vines has rewarded us once again with a terrific syrah.

This wine has an evocative and lively aroma of pine, sage and damp earth. There are sappy plum pit and cherry aromas as well, and no hint of overripe heaviness--which is not to say the wine is light, it isn't. It is savory and rich with a nice bittersweet chocolate aftertaste. The 2005 harvest gave us wines that are fresh and alive.

2003 SYRAH ROLL RANCH Magnum
Ojai Valley, California 1.5L

When I recently popped a bottle of this wine, I was surprised to find an easy to enjoy, utterly delicious wine. The Roll Ranch syrahs seem to alternate from structured to soft, depending on the growing conditions of the vintage, and in the barrel this one had some tannins. But they seem to have mellowed and now only lightly grace the back of the palate, complimenting the wine's fat fruitiness. Showing much like the 1998 and the 2000, this one tastes great now, yet seems to have everything needed to age well.

2006 SYRAH
Santa Barbara County

This is a really powerful and intensely flavored wine that is also lively enough to be engaging and delicious right now. The wine is made from a blend of all of our syrah vineyards, and the farming is strict-we aim for very low yields. For the last several vintages we have blended quite a bit of grenache and mourvedre in the blend, which gives the wine greater complexity and aromatic interest.

2007 ROSÉ
California

This year we made our rosé from grenache, mourvedre and a touch of syrah and sauvignon blanc. It is barrel fermented in older barrels, and then bottled fresh in late winter.

Rosé has become quite stylish lately, and for good reasons. There isn't a more versatile wine-you can have it with fish, tamales with hot sauce, or a pork sandwich-it doesn't really matter because it tastes great with everything. I think another reason people like it so much is because it is informal-you get dressed up to drink Champagne-but with rosé you can leave your overalls on, have a big glass, and still feel like a king.

OJAI WHITE & OJAI RED
Non Vintage, California

Don't let yourself be distracted by the affordable price. These two wines are terrific, always full of charater and easy to enjoy. They are made with the barrels that did not make the selection for the single vineyard bottelings and they received the same care and dedication than any of our more recognized wines. The result is a winery blend that seem to follow it's own mind and achieve quiet elegance.

Orders taken now for shipment April 14th & May 12 2008. Online Store Join our mailing list 2006 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard 2006 Chardonnay Solomon Hills Vineyard 2006 Chardonnay Solomon Hills Special Bottling #1 Botrytis Dry wine-750 ml 2006 Chardonnay Solomon Hills Special Bottling #2 Botrytis Dessert wine-375 ml 2005 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido 2005 Pinot Noir Fe Ciega 2004 Syrah Bien Nacido 2004 Syrah Verna 2005 Syrah Roll Ranch 2003 Syrah Roll Ranch Magnum 2006 Syrah 2007 Rosé Ojai Red & Ojai White And many more wines available at our Online Store. Email us Shipping Frequently Asked Questions Join our mailing list Upcoming Releases Prior Tasting Notes Vintage Charts Past "Notes from the Vineyard" Information about The Ojai Vineyard Handmade wines since 1983.


	SPRING 2008 PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER. PURCHASE NOW FOR DISCOUNTED PRICING. OFFER ENDS APRIL 30. WINES TO BE SHIPPED APRIL 14 & MAY 12. In some respects you might look at our little winery and think nothing has changed in the last 20 years. The general physical structure hasn't, the quantity of wine produced hasn't, yet the wines made now are fundamentally different. Over the last couple of decades we have pushed hard to progress. The pursuit of craft is what I call our effort to make incrementally better wines. Manufacturing is the memorization of repetitive tasks, while craft is the melding of experiential knowledge with intuition to achieve a greater success. Although we are best known for syrah, in this spring newsletter I also describe our recent work with chardonnay at Solomon Hills, a state-of-the-art vineyard planted on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley appellation. We purchase the grapes by the acre, rather than the ton-which allows us to reduce the crop to concentrate the flavors. To avoid masking the personality of the vineyard we ferment and age this wine in older French oak barrels. The vineyard is in the coolest end of the appellation, so the fruit retains very high natural acidity, making it food friendly. Tightly planted to the superior Dijon clones of chardonnay and farmed meticulously for quality, we have been able to make a wine that is altogether different than a typical California chardonnay. This wine is emblematic of our intentions for all the wines we produce--which is to continue pushing beyond the expected and attempt to craft something sublime. . Adam Tolmach 2006 CHARDONNAY BIEN NACIDO Santa Maria Valley I would say this is a traditional California chardonnay, but everyone who tasted it on my recent trip to Portland and Seattle thought it was emphatically unlike any California chardonnay they had ever tasted. It was well received, because it seems people are tired of the flat, over-oaked examples they often taste. I think the fruity aroma from Bien Nacido is not atypical for California chardonnay, but beyond that aspect I will admit it is quite different. Since 2000 we haven't used new oak barrels, but have preferred older, more neutral ones that showcase the vineyards distinctiveness, and every year we restrict the crop which helps emphasize its refreshing texture. We also pick the fruit much earlier than most winemakers do these days, because we like the herb tinged aromas and zippy acidity that are lost when grapes are harvested too ripe. I know I often say this, but this 2006 Bien Nacido Chardonnay ranks as my favorite since we started making them in 1990. 2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS Santa Maria Valley Most of the time I just sit on the mountain here, contemplate my navel, and generally meditate on the meaning of wine. Lately though, I have been obsessing about what people think of what we're making. It might seem compromising, but it can be stimulating to get other people's views. And so…this fellow I had never met before came by and tasted through the cellar with me. At once I realized he had a great palate, and he knew what he liked. So it vexed me no end when he tasted this wine and thought it was perfectly fine yet not particularly interesting. Oh well. I comforted myself with the thought that I presented him with something so interestingly outside the box that he didn't get it. I love the fine fruit and excellent balance this vineyard gives. Solomon Hills is on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley Appellation so it's climatically very cool. Planted to the Dijon clones of chardonnay, it has none of the typical California style of tropical fruitiness. It is all lemon curd, piney and minerally-making it a great match with seafood. 2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS SPECIAL BOTTLING #1 Dry Santa Maria Valley -Botrytis Dry Wine- 750 ml We made four chardonnays from Solomon Hills in 2006 just to confuse you--or perhaps us! This is one of two that came about because of extraordinary conditions in the vineyard. In 2006 I was astonished to see botrytis mold growing perfectly on the Solomon Hills Chardonnay--a rare occurrence. Botrytis is the agent that allows French and German winemakers to make the most celebrated dessert wines in the world. Besides concentrating flavors and sugars naturally in grapes, it contributes a wonderful honeyed and apricot aroma and flavor to wines. While in this case I was sure the botrytis was a good thing, to be extra careful, the effected clusters were picked ahead of the main harvest of chardonnay, and fermented separately. The result was so dramatic that we bottled it as a special lot. Although completely dry, this wine has an incredible concentration of flavor and richness--and it has interesting honeyed complexities that only botrytis can give. Full throttled, because the botrytis concentrated the flavors, yet light on its feet because the acidity is concentrated as well. We were so excited by this wine we went back to the vineyard manager at Solomon Hills and asked him if there were other buyers that did not want their botrytis effected grapes so we could make a sweet dessert wine. See my notes on the special bottling #2 for the results of that quest. . 2006 CHARDONNAY SOLOMON HILLS SPECIAL BOTTLING #2 Dessert Santa Maria Valley Botrytis Dessert Wine 375ml Botrytis is a mold that grows on grapes and is not that common in California. Usually when it appears it's called bunch rot, because secondary infections of bacteria and less desirable molds get in there and turn the clusters into a vinegary mess. Rarely, when the right conditions prevail the botrytis grows and then weather conditions get dry and the botrytis, having poked tiny holes in the berries, causes them to raisin. As the berries raisin the sugars and acidity concentrate--when this happens in Europe it's called the noble rot and is responsible for some of the finest dessert wines made. In 2006 these special conditions afflicted a small portion of the chardonnay clusters at Solomon Hills. Another buyer of chardonnay there did not want any botrytis in their grapes so we were able to pick the botrytis affected clusters ahead of their harvest and made two barrels of this wine. Aromatically the wine shows a lot of botrytis, a rich honeyed character that is quite alluring. From the aroma one expects the wine to taste quite sweet, and while it is sweet the high natural acidity gives it balance and delightful drink-ability. While I am not a huge fan of dessert wines, I find this special bottling quite fascinating. 2005 PINOT NOIR BIEN NACIDO Santa Maria Valley In a year known for high yields, these 35-year-old vines produced exactly two tons per acre, which isn't much. The small crop didn't come naturally though-the winter before we had record rainfall, which induced the vines to grow with excessive vigor and set a huge crop of fruit. However, vineyard manager Chris Hammell went through our block innumerable times correcting the excesses, attending to every conceivable detail. By the time he was done there wasn't much fruit left, but every cluster was perfect. At harvest the weather was mild, giving us lots of time to decide on the right moment for picking. The result is one of the most delicious Bien Nacido pinot noirs I can remember. I find myself suspicious of its quality because it is so easy to enjoy. The moment you pour it from the bottle it is so effusive! The wine is an aromatic bombshell. While fatty and richly flavored, there is a small bite of tannin and acidity in the finish that has you grabbing the bottle for a second glass. Yum. 2005 PINOT NOIR FE CIEGA Santa Rita Hills A dear friend who visited recently and tasted this wine after the 2005 Bien Nacido pinot noir was not impressed. He loved the Bien Nacido's friendliness, and thought this wine had less of everything--aroma and flavor. I was flabbergasted, because for me this is absolutely the best pinot noir we have ever made. However, wine is intriguing because it is all about personal perceptions--if you don't like apples, but love oranges, that's just the way it is. Here are my notes: Winemaker Rick Longoria does a great job farming this terrific site and generously allows us to purchase a small portion of his vineyard's production. Rick and I agree that there is only a moment in time when the character of the vineyard fully expresses itself. A couple of days too soon or too late and all is lost. In 2005 a combination of favorable weather and good timing made for my best Fe Ciega to date. While still a bit young to drink today, it has great style and minerality. There is a provocative animal character that lurks around the dark fruit scents of this wine, setting it apart from other vineyards. It is very subtle and just fascinating! 2004 SYRAH BIEN NACIDO Santa Maria Valley The Bien Nacido syrahs we have made often take years to resolve themselves--they are often misunderstood in their youth because of their quirkiness. This one is different because it is so straight ahead and expressive now--and easy to enjoy. In 2004 we had quite a hot spell during the pinot noir harvest and it made its mark on this late ripening syrah, as well. The tannins are particularly well rounded and pleasantly mouth coating. This syrah is generous and fruity, and not particularly herbal; however, it does have great balance. There is a note of pepper, but the flavors are dominated by flowers and fruits. Don't get me wrong, although this big delicious wine has plenty of aging potential it is approachable today. 2004 SYRAH VERNA'S Santa Barbara County Wow, I don't think I've tasted this wine for a year, and it is good! With aromas of tar and toast, it reminds me of one of my favorite southern Rhone wines. Dense, flavorful and, like our 2003 version, something altogether different than our other syrahs. The freshness and peculiarity that the wine displays is entirely the product of this unique vineyard site in Santa Barbara County's Cat Canyon, near the little town of Los Alamos. 2005 SYRAH ROLL RANCH Ojai Valley, California Roll Ranch is a wine of many contradictions. Most warm climate syrah has a heavy, fruity sameness that can get tiresome, yet here we have a wine that is lively and has a unique personality. This is the direct result of two factors, site and farming. The vineyard, located in the Upper Ojai Valley, has an unusual climate for a protected southern Californian valley. At an elevation of about 1000 feet, it receives excesses of everything-heat during the day, cooling fog from the ocean at night, and some of the highest rainfall totals in the area. The soil, an alluvial decomposition of the local mountain of note, Topa Topa, is a red sandy loam that is extremely nutrient poor. The vines either grow with excess vigor or a decided lack thereof depending on annual rainfall, which makes vineyard manager Martin Ramirez's job difficult, to say the least. 2005 was a huge rainfall year, so he had to go through the vineyard again and again trimming out excessively vigorous shoots and trimming clusters. The attention he paid to the vines has rewarded us once again with a terrific syrah. This wine has an evocative and lively aroma of pine, sage and damp earth. There are sappy plum pit and cherry aromas as well, and no hint of overripe heaviness--which is not to say the wine is light, it isn't. It is savory and rich with a nice bittersweet chocolate aftertaste. The 2005 harvest gave us wines that are fresh and alive. 2003 SYRAH ROLL RANCH Magnum Ojai Valley, California 1.5L When I recently popped a bottle of this wine, I was surprised to find an easy to enjoy, utterly delicious wine. The Roll Ranch syrahs seem to alternate from structured to soft, depending on the growing conditions of the vintage, and in the barrel this one had some tannins. But they seem to have mellowed and now only lightly grace the back of the palate, complimenting the wine's fat fruitiness. Showing much like the 1998 and the 2000, this one tastes great now, yet seems to have everything needed to age well. 2006 SYRAH Santa Barbara County This is a really powerful and intensely flavored wine that is also lively enough to be engaging and delicious right now. The wine is made from a blend of all of our syrah vineyards, and the farming is strict-we aim for very low yields. For the last several vintages we have blended quite a bit of grenache and mourvedre in the blend, which gives the wine greater complexity and aromatic interest. 2007 ROSÉ California This year we made our rosé from grenache, mourvedre and a touch of syrah and sauvignon blanc. It is barrel fermented in older barrels, and then bottled fresh in late winter. Rosé has become quite stylish lately, and for good reasons. There isn't a more versatile wine-you can have it with fish, tamales with hot sauce, or a pork sandwich-it doesn't really matter because it tastes great with everything. I think another reason people like it so much is because it is informal-you get dressed up to drink Champagne-but with rosé you can leave your overalls on, have a big glass, and still feel like a king. OJAI WHITE & OJAI RED Non Vintage, California Don't let yourself be distracted by the affordable price. These two wines are terrific, always full of charater and easy to enjoy. They are made with the barrels that did not make the selection for the single vineyard bottelings and they received the same care and dedication than any of our more recognized wines. The result is a winery blend that seem to follow it's own mind and achieve quiet elegance. Back to top of page...