FOR ZINFANDEL LOVERS: Vineyard-Designates

What does it mean to be a vineyard-designate wine? To have the vineyard printed on the label, 95% of the grapes must have come from that one single vineyard, pure and undiluted.

We have sought out the finest vineyards in Sonoma County for our vineyard-designate wines: the Bevill Heirloom, Maple, Estate, Lavender Hill and Viti della Nebbia vineyards each have their own, distinct terroir that shines through in the wine.

After each vineyard is carefully harvested and the grapes are delivered to the winery, Margaret matches the grapes from these special vineyards to their perfect combination of barrels, carefully chosen to highlight each wine’s special aromas and flavors. The result, you will find as you enjoy these wines, is that the distinctive, authentic character of each vineyard comes through in your glass. These wines are unlike any other, so order today to enjoy with friends all summer.

• 2008 Dry Creek Valley Estate Zinfandel – prized for its lush, focused flavors, this is the classic Zinfandel to take with you everywhere this summer.
• 2008 Dry Creek Valley Bevill Heirloom Zinfandel – rich, deep flavors and complexity from this unique vineyard planted with five heritage clones, great with smoky flavors from the grill.
• 2008 Dry Creek Valley Maple Vineyard Zinfandel – for your special occasions, an elegant Zinfandel layered with spice and fruit.
• 2008 Dry Creek Valley Lavender Hill Primitivo – intense, deep color and flavors balanced by chewy tannins, perfect with boldly spiced foods.
• 2008 Russian River Valley Viti della Nebbia Zinfandel – structure and tannins with the surprise of bright Russian River fruit.

Each of these unique vineyard-designate wines is perfect to drink right now, having optimal aging in barrel and bottle. These vintages are limited, so order now to ensure availability. Come taste them at our spectacular summer Zinfandel event, An Affair with Zinfandel, on August 13th!

WINEMAKER'S NOTES: Margaret Davenport

We've survived another cold and extremely wet rainy season. The vineyards are a healthy bright green and we're looking forward to flowering, glad the rain is over!

We're excited about the release of the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc that was bottled in February. I bottled it earlier this year to capture more of that wonderful fresh fruit: a combination of citrus, particularly grapefruit, and melon aromas and flavors. I also aged it for about one month in neutral French oak barrels to mellow and soften the texture. It's truly a lovely young wine, so delicate on the palate but with such assertive aromas. With its savory character you will enjoy it all summer with a wide variety of foods.

The 2010 vintage Zinfandels, which many of you tasted and exclaimed about during barrel tastings in early Spring, are favorably maturing in their barrels. Zin yields were low in 2010, as about half the fruit that originally set turned to raisins during one of the incredible heat waves of the vintage. As cooler weather prevailed, the remaining crop had a longer time to ripen slowly and perfectly. The result is full, rich, deeply flavored Zinfandels which are wonderfully balanced. Their time in barrel will add nuance to each wine and mature them to perfection.

The Cabernet grown at the Passalacqua Ranch also benefited from the long hang time and cooler weather that followed September 2010. Yields were low in our special blocks (Blocks 1, 4, and, of course, 18 & 19), but early wine quality indicators like color, aroma, and texture are very promising. For the 2009 Cabernets, we are now putting the finishing touches on them before bottling later in the summer. Harvested at the end of a cool October, the 2009 Block Selections from 2, 4, and 18 & 19 are elegant, classic and beautifully structured wines that will age slowly and gracefully.

Best wishes for a wonderful summer!

FARMER'S CORNER: Jason Passalacqua

This is always such a fulfilling time to be in the vineyards. The vines have come alive from being dormant for a few months and the new growth is vibrant green in color with the tendrils and shoots reaching outward and upward. The moderate temperatures combined with the higher than normal moisture in the soil from the wet winter are optimal growing conditions. The vines are looking healthy and are ready to ripen in to a perfect crop!

As I walk through our vineyards at this time of year, I am constantly looking for how I can further partner with our growers to continue the push for the perfect grape. Should we stress the vines a bit more by not discing the soil or not watering or fertilizing as much? Should we wait to sucker until bloom is finished and the crop is set? How much crop should we hang to achieve the optimal balance between quality and quantity? A lesson learned from last year’s cool early part of summer was that we pulled too many leaves and then when the sun came out and the temperatures rose dramatically, the fruit was burned. So, how should we pull leaves this year with a similar cool first part of summer? All in the challenge of farming....

For our Estate vineyard, bloom is in full swing. The clusters seem to be further out on the cane than in recent years. Nobody is quite sure of the reason, but we will adapt by not pulling so many leaves along the base of the cane and will most likely leave more laterals to provide shade higher in the canopy. For the past three years we have not disced the ground in an attempt to stress the vines a bit more and achieve a higher concentration of fruit flavors. We think it is working – producing lush fruit flavors in our Estate Zinfandel - and so we did not disc again this year. We will also keep a close eye out for mildew, with the late rainfall this spring.  

All in all the year is shaping up nicely. The temperatures are starting to gradually climb and the long range forecast is for dry weather. We will wait to see how the final crop sets, but with the cluster count as high as it is, I don't foresee any problems. Overall this is looking like a great year!

TASTING AT PASSALACQUA

Come visit this summer and experience a whole new way of tasting Passalacqua wines. Let one of our knowledgeable staff guide you through a flight of Reserve wines while you relax in our new Reserve room, or on the deck.

Or, you may choose our Estate Tour & Tasting for an in-depth look at winemaking. If Cabernet is your passion, don’t miss the opportunity to taste our Block-Select wines. All of these seated, guided tastings require prior reservations; please contact us for pricing and scheduling. Of course, you are welcome to taste the newest releases at the bar without reservations.

If you are a Wine Club member, your tastings at the bar are complimentary. Another one of your membership benefits is an annual private, seated tasting of the Reserve wines, so call us for details and schedule your tasting this summer.

INTO THE CELLAR WITH JASON: What to Drink Now

I am always excited to write this section of the newsletter because it means that I have a great excuse to go into the back of the cellar, pull out older vintages of our wines and perform the arduous task of tasting. I am constantly amazed at how wonderfully our wines age and how talented a winemaker Margaret is to be able to craft Passalacqua wines in such a consistent style. There were some wonderful surprises in this round of tasting.

Starting with the whites, the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was starting to lose structure. The fruit still showed nicely, but if you have any, it should be consumed. The 2009 just sold out and will hold beautifully to be enjoyed in the upcoming warm months. The 2006 Chardonnays are holding nicely. The citrus elements are softening and giving way to the riper melon flavors. These can be enjoyed now through the end of 2011.

The 2006 and 2007 vintages of Zinfandel are fabulous. The oak, fruit and tannin are in perfect balance, making these wines very enjoyable with or without food. The 2006’s should remain strong through the end of the year. The last of the 2007 Old Vine is in the Tasting Room now and many of the 2008 vineyard-designates are in short supply, so if you haven't put any in the back of your closet, you should consider it.

Our Cabernets continue to amaze me. They are young upon release but still so approachable and integrated that I continue to wonder how they can get any better. Let me tell you that I am beginning to understand. The 2003 is so soft and supple, has beautiful rich fruit and continues to have elements of brightness. I opened a 2004 block 18/19 and was blown away. It is big, rich, spicy and fruity, but all in balance. It has the structure to age another 10 years but is very enjoyable now. I could go on and on about our cabernets. My advice, drink them now or lay them down - whichever your heart desires - just make sure you don't run out!