Kick Ranch Syrah, and now, Sauvignon Blanc

Kick Ranch Syrah, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc

Rincon Valley, Sonoma County
Grapes: Syrah Clones- 383, 470, 877, Viognier- Tablas Creek Clone, Sauvignon Blanc- 317, Musque’

Rootstock: 101-14, 5C
Planted: 2001 Owned By: Dick Keenan

Farmed by: Bacchus Vineyard Management, Glenn Alexander

This beautifully layed-out and farmed vineyard is planted to five different Rhone Syrah clones, Viognier, and a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc. Other producers who get the fruit are Pax, Renard, Paul Hobbs, Rosenblum , Carica (Dick Keenan’s own label), JRE Wines , Shane, Lynmar, Sangliere, Loxton, Enkidu, and others. I initially picked this vineyard because I liked the location and got some good juju once I walked into it. It drains well, the crops are around 2.5-3 tons/acre, and the vines seem healthy and in balance.

Plus, the viognier!

After taking an initial two tons of fruit– one ton each of 470 and 174 last year and loving the results, particularly with the confermented Viognier, I have decided to increase my tonnage for vintage 2008. This year I will receive a ton each of 877, 383, and 470. Though the 174 was fine, I think the profile of 877 and 383 will fit better with the aromatic, perfumey, Syrah that I envision making from this vineyard.

I will likely use a percentage of whole-clusters to further elevate the aromatics and textural elements depending on what the fruit and stems are looking like. In 2007, I cofermented with 5% Viognier. I think that number is about right and will likely use the same amount in 2008 depending on what the fruit looks like.

Borrowing from my friend Jean-Michel Gerin in Cote-Rotie I am going to ferment a part of this in a new puncheons (essentially a double-sized barrel). Scientifically it has been shown that new oak helps in color retention and pigmentation. I have personally observed that the oak flavor seems to better integrate with the wine. Since the same puncheon will be used for elevage later, the larger barrel cuts down on the barrel surface to wine ratio—thus lessening the amount of new oak. The remainder will be done in open-top redwood vats and insulated 1 ton fermenters.

The 2007 wine is aging in a mixture of oak. Two new barrels– one Saury La Bourgogne and a Kadar Tokaji M+ toast, were employed. The remainder of the wine is in neutral Hermitage barrels and a one year old Tonnellerie Baron puncheon.

That I am going to completely change the oak regimen in 2008 is less a function of me not liking the Saury and Kadar barrels, but rather being REALLY impressed with some other coopers. Thus, the 2008 will find its way into a new Meyrieux “Syrah” barrel, a Rousseau Bertranges M+, and an Ermitage Bertranges M+. The total fraction of new oak will be about 50%. If I feel like more is needed, which is unlikely, I will use another Kadar Tokaji barrel as I find the really tight-grained Hungarian oak from the cold, rocky, northern forest adds a nice savory element to Syrah.

New in 2008 will be the first white wine made by Bedrock Wine Co., a Sauvignon Blanc from this rocky spot on the backside of Spring Mountain. If you had asked me last year if I would be making Sauvignon Blanc I would have said that you were nuts. That was before I started enviously tasting the delicious fruit coming from Dick’s vineyard.

The two clones of Sauvignon Blanc, planted on 5C rootstock, typically yield a pretty miserable 2.5-3 tons per acre. The rocky site, along with the devigorating rootstock, ensure rich, dense fruit. Also, the Musque clone of Sauvignon– known for its immense aromatics– which is relatively rare to find in well-placed sites is grown here.

Though I love many examples of the clean, unoaked, Sauv Blancs emanating from the cellars of Peter Franus, Selene, and others–not to mention the bevy of excellent New Zealand examples, Sancerre, and Pouilly-Fume’ finding their way to our golden shores– my feeling is that Sauvignon Blanc reaches its pinnacle in Bordeaux. In Pessac-Leognan, some outstandingly rich, complex, and utterly distinctive and compelling wines are being made from the varietal. There, barrel fermentation and aging is the norm. Though I will certainly not use the 50-100% new oak that is common in Pessac, I will employ a touch of new wood to bring out spice components and enrich the mid-palate of the wine a bit. In addition, the former private cooper for one of my absolute favorite Pessac-Leognan Blanc producers, Smith-Haut-Lafitte, has now started to export a limited number of barrels to the United States. His cooperage, Tonnellerie Bordelaise, will certainly provide the new oak element in the wine.

I expect big things from this phenomenal site in Rincon Valley. So big that I have signed a long-term contract for the Syrah and Viognier to ensure that this excellent vineyard will stay in the Bedrock Wine Co. family for years to come!

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