Choices we make during the growing season and at harvest must be lived with for the entire life of a wine. The huge number of options and the gravity of this can be staggering and sometimes paralyzing. As the years pile up, I’m finding it becomes easier to decide what to do given what nature offers. Looking back on how our wines age informs my choices in successive vintages. When a vintage becomes challenging at times, it is important to let go of any surprise, disappointment or fear at the moment and deal with the reality of the material you have in order to shepherd it toward its best end.

Unchallenging (‘good’) vintages are “important” to those producers who allow rigid formulas or tradition to dictate how to make their wine. It is easy to dismiss one’s shortcomings by declaring a “bad” vintage. It is also easy to dismiss entire vintages in one region because of challenges unmet in another region. This translates well to even a vineyard to vineyard analogy.

We have in this offering some new releases from the 2008 and 2009 vintages. Both these vintages have their opportunities and their challenges: 2008 had an icy spring and smoky summer in some places. 2009 was a “no-brainer” in most of our local area, but still had a wet, warm, fungal finish in some locations for a few later varieties. The exceptions defy the generalizations. The choices we make are the difference.

Still Thankful

Open House

New Releases

• 2009 Helfer Vineyard Chardonnay
• 2008 Platt Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 2009 Sonoma County Pinot Noir
• 2008 Timbervine Vineyard Syrah
• 2008 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Very Recent Releases

Library Wines