Cartlidge and Browne Winery Blog

Brief Fall Hiatus

2009-10-31T17:37:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween! We'll be taking a brief hiatus here (not quite hibernating for winter yet) - while harvest is over, all of the work certainly is not. Look for blog posts to return soon.

Cheers!
The C&B team

October Update - Crush 2009

2009-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Our Sauvignon Blanc just finished fermentation:

Enologist Mauricio brought by a sample for us to taste. The two components, the grapefruity, lower Brix lot and the warmer, honey-ed lot, have integrated into a lovely seamless whole. Grower Maile Field wasn't kidding when she told us early in the season that the flavenoids were there and that 2009 might be the best Dancing Crow Vineyard vintage yet.

We'll be racking it off the lees today, and it will go back into the tank until early January, when we'll bottle the wine.

It's cold here. Warehouse temps feel much different in October than in July. The leaves on the trees are changing ... as are the leaves on the Pinot Noir grapevines.

Only a few left-behind grape clusters remain.

The last grapes we will get in are Cabernet Sauvignon: from Mulhner Vineyard in Chiles Valley and several other Napa Valley vineyards.

2009 Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

2009-09-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

Winemaker Paul Moser just brought by this Sauvignon Blanc juice from Dancing Crow Vineyard in Lake County. The grapes were picked Tuesday, pressed yesterday and here at the winery now to start fermenting.

The first block came in Saturday morning (one degree Brix lower than this set) and has a crisper apple/grapefruit quality. Paul says this has beautiful pear and sugared grapefruit notes, with hints of honey.

And it does. So delicious! It reminds me of being a little kid and having fresh, sweet grapes in my lunch.

First Grapes - Crush 2009

2009-09-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

Our first grapes of the year arrived today: Zinfandel/Primitivo from Snows Lake Vineyard in Red Hills Lake County. More info about this fruit in last week's dispatch.

Last year we grafted over the rootstock to Zinfandel grapevines:

We had 4.3 tons come in today - and are still waiting to get the final stats from the lab as to sugar, pH, etc. We'll update in the next day or so!

The winemaking crew kept a very close eye on things ... and it's on. They're continuing to monitor the other vineyards, sampling grapes, and now seeing this first lot through fermentation. The winery smells like grapes today & we know that in the next few days, aromas of fermenting grapes will waft through the building.

This Time of Year

2009-08-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

Empty grape bins are all clean and stacked in the warehouse. And now are just waiting to truck to the first vineyard ... the anticipation of Crush 2009 ...

Harvest 2009

2009-08-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

... still no grapes at the winery yet ...

Mauricio took this picture yesterday: rolling rows of ripening Cabernet Sauvignon vines at Snows Lake Vineyard (appellation Red Hills Lake County). The soil really is that red. And the hills are much steeper than they appear.

Probably we'll harvest these grapes in various times of October (different parts of the hill). Last year we brought in some Cab from this vineyard in the 2nd week of October.

More updates to come next week ...

Quick Grape & Harvest Update

2009-08-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Today Mauricio pulled Zinfandel grapes for sampling of sugars and acidity at Snows Lake Vineyard in Lake County. He amended the info, though - it's actually Primitivo (Clones 3 & 4).

The upper blocks are at 25.4 brix and a pH of 4 ... he says the lower blocks are still at 22 brix. It's likely we will hand-harvest the two upper blocks (one on an eastern-facing hill and the other adjacent on a western-facing hill) next week. Later on the lower ones.

The Sauvignon Blanc from Dancing Crow Vineyard isn't as close to being ready - Mauricio's current guess is September 14th or thereabouts.

He's also beginning to look at Merlot and Cabernet from Totem Ridge Vineyard - Cabernet is much later ripening - it will probably be ready in mid-October.

Lake County Field Trip

2009-08-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Dylan & enologist Mauricio trekked north yesterday - checking on the Sauvignon Blanc grapes at Maile Field & Lars Crail's Dancing Crow Vineyard. Mauricio thinks perhaps the first week in September on these grapes, though he'll be keeping an eye on the fruit and the Brix.

Originally pear orchards planted by Maile's family, the vineyard encompasses 28 acres and has been certified organic since 2004.
Pear trees still surround the property, and the 2008 vintage of Cartlidge & Browne Sauvignon Blanc has lovely pear aromas. Coincidence?

They also stopped by to see Buzz, who's been providing us with amazing Merlot for years.

Harvest is right around the corner!

Everyday Days at the Winery

2009-08-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Once in a while people tasting at the winery will peek into the office, see everyone working (very hard) away, & then turn to me confused, "Why is everyone so busy? Can't you drink wine all day? Isn't it only harvest that much happens?"

Something's always happening. And usually more than several somethings are happening.

There's bottling - when the winemakers decide it's time to rack the wine out of barrel to be bottled (via tanks). It's not just the bottling, though. They have decide on the lots that will be blended together for a final wine, which involves numerous flights of potential blends.

They're prepping barrels, tanks, equipment for harvest.

And checking on grapes, surveying vineyards, talking with the vineyard managers.

Constantly monitoring wine in barrels & in tank - is it ready to go? Is there anything wrong? Testing samples in the lab.

Buying new barrels for harvest. Supplies.

The sales team traveling the country and talking with distributors and stores and restaurants that carry our wine.

Hosting people who've come to taste.

Current information about wines - making sure everyone has the correct, updated information - from vintages to pricing to tasting notes.

Fulfilling orders for wines - making sure our distributors in 46 states and accounts in 16 countries have the wine they need, keeping track of their inventory.

Paperwork. Paperwork. And even more paperwork.

But we also have some very fun opportunities. I shared our C&B Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and C&B Pinot Noir with attendees to the National Kidney Foundation's first annual charity polo tournament in Santa Rosa yesterday. We joined other wineries & vendors and had a grand old time in support of a good cause.

I especially enjoyed the Pinot Noir paired with a cheese spread of smoked mozzarella with slow roasted tomatoes. It may even be my new favorite!

Perfect Pairings: Petite Sirah and Peacock?

2009-07-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

We sat down last week to taste six different Petite Sirahs. Winemaker Paul Moser says the varietal is one "built for off-roading" and "built for action." While the berries are small, they don't produce a small wine at all.

At the winery, we are getting set to bottle the 2007 Lot 205 PS tomorrow. That wine was in the tasting lineup, as was our 2006 - and then 4 other wines, both 06 and 07s. We tasted the wines blind, though we knew which producers and vintages they were from.

We liked the 2006 Bogle and the 2006 Lot 205.

Our guesses as to which wines were which were all over the place The unbottled 2007 Lot 205 Petite was the only wine that we all got right. It was also the clear favorite.

Paul's notes on the wine: High notes at first, not too tannic or oaky. Youthful, bouncy, cherry drop, juicy profile, round, grapey. Not overly rustic. Blackberry cobbler and purity of fruit. Bright, clean acidity with excellent balance and a freshness.

YUM!

Digression: Paul writes the tasting notes. And they are very elegant and delicious-sounding tasting notes. The only thing is that the suggested pairings can be a wee bit esoteric, at least for me. I don't generally stand at the store and think, I'm going to pick up some feathered game tonight.

So we got to talking about what would comprise feathered game: squab, grouse, game hen, pheasant, pigeon ... peacock? Someone (I'm not naming names) at the table thought the Bremner crackers would pair well with peacock.

Then this was suggested: crackers, peacock & Petite Sirah. Yikes. I think I'll stick to some of the more "normal" pairings for the Petite. When I chatted with Paul today, he said to go with the bigger foods that wouldn't be overwhelmed by the wine. He says lamb shank, duck confit, heartier pastas, particularly bolognese, but also game: wild boar and venison stew. If you're vegetarian, he suggests ragout of red wine and portobello mushroom, perhaps grilled portobellos, or a five-cheese risotto.

Heat Wave

2009-06-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

After a month of moderate weather, the end of June got hot! The grapes are soaking up the warmth and the sun:

What a difference two and a half months make! Check out the g rapevines in mid-April:

June winery updates

2009-06-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

We have been sorely remiss in posting!

It's finally heating up significantly - there's nothing like the smell of baking earth in late June. The dirt under the grapevines to our west smells just like warm, uncured leather. And you wonder why some tasting notes - generally for Zinfandel, Syrah & Cabernet - mention hints of leather.

The grapevines seem to grow each day, they're no longer flowering but now have clustered grapes. It seems a miracle that something so acidic at the moment will later ripen and sweeten.

Our 2007 C&B North Coast Cabernet (fruit from Mendocino and Lake County) was bottled last Wednesday. We all tried it - and enologist Mauricio Livellara couldn't stop raving about it, praising its true-to-Cabernet character, with soft, mouth-filling tannins on the finish, with delicate aromas.

Pictures to follow - and we'll update more in the future. Happy Summer!

Twenty-nine Flights of Five

2009-05-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Twenty-nine flights of five wine blends ... akin to five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes ... so, how do you measure, measure a Chard?

Winemaker Paul Moser and enologist Mauricio Livellara are perfectionists, and we love it.

To arrive at the final blend of our 2008 Cartlidge & Browne Chardonnay -- they tried 29 flights of five different blends -- for an end total of 145 different possible blends. One hundred forty-five is the charm!

We tasted the final blend (just off the bottling line) along with the 2008 Lot 205 Chardonnay.

And then we tasted through 2007 & 2008 Pinot Noirs.

Before the bags came off, Paul noted that they all tasted like Pinot Noir to him. Next time I'll have to throw a few other varietals in there to trip him up.

We liked them all - which was good news. Even before he smelled the wine, Mauricio knew each vintage by the temperature of the wine (some had been lab samples and others pulled from the warehouse) and different specs on the glass.

Paul was pleased with the consistency between vintages and thought the 2008, though just a baby, already aromatically had a lot to say. He talked about the lovely floral notes and cherry cobbler flavor, along with a spicy character and a supple feel.

Sign me up for tastings like this more often!

Spring Release pictures & end-of-vintage sale

2009-05-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for Spring Release Day the other weekend! We enjoyed the 2008 C&B Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, the 2007 Paso Robles Cabernet ... and really everything else under the sun. Good food, good wine, good people - what more can you ask for?

And two views of our sunny & cozy new spot:

Be sure to join us on Saturday, June 13th for a clear-out-the-odds-and-ends, end-of-vintage sale! 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. We'll have more info up on the website soon and in June's email newsletter!

Wine Spies Infiltration!

2009-05-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Wine Spies have swooped in!

They snagged a very limited amount of our 2005 Moser Scharding Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir and are offering it at a very special price this Friday only! Full details will be av ailable on their site beginning at m idnight Pacific on 5-8-09.

Winemakers Paul Moser and Rebecca Scharding Steinschriber produced this wine from fruit grown by Durrell Vineyards in the Sonoma Valley along with Parmalee Hill Vineyards, which adjoins Durrell to the west. Notes of cherry and strawberry, with soft leather and violets underneath. Swoon!

May showers

2009-05-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

It's pouring here ... and supposed to rain all weekend. The April showers seem to have brought May showers! It feels like February outside, and instead of springy whites, we're opening up Cabernets. (That said, you never know what people will want to drink! When it was 95 degrees the other week, the tasting room visitors were snapping up the Dessert Syrah. )

The grapevines are soaking up the rain, which is sorely needed. We're still facing a drought, but every single drop of water counts.

April showers and sunshine

2009-04-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

From last week's rainy skies ...

... to current sunny vineyards. What a difference a week makes!

The new tasting room!

2009-04-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

Lynae in the middle & the Gordon brothers and their lovely wives (one crew from Palo Alto and the other from Chicago, Illinois). The 2007 C&B Paso Robles Cabernet was a favorite!

What you can't see is that we're all looking off into vineyards!

2008 C&B Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

2009-03-31T12:37:00.000-07:00

It's March 31st, so this is no April's Fools joke! So many of you (and me!) are eagerly awaiting this wine ... it was bottled last Wednesday.

We'll have it in the tasting room on Spring Release Day - April 25th.

Spring has sprung here - from warm temps to Monarch butterflies to the beginning of budbreak. And the Sauvignon Blanc will go so well with it!

Alaska!

2009-03-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's extremely chilly here in Anchorage, and I'm ensconced in my puffy down coat (600 down fill). But I've seen a few natives in t-shirts and a girl last night was rocking cropped capri pants! Brrrr. Great food here - I had a fresh wild salmon BLT - wow!

Check out some of the beautiful scenery:

Now, off to share some fantastic C&B wines with Alaksans!

They'll get to taste the 2008 Dancing Crow Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc!

Keep your eyes peeled for info about when we'll release that lovely wine.

Happy Spring!

2009-03-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here in the southern Napa Valley, we've had fog a few mornings this week - on Tuesday it burned off around noon, and it's already dissipating today. Yesterday it must have been about 73 degrees (heavenly for the last day of winter)!

It's supposed to be a bit cooler today, but still oh so lovely. And the first day of spring! There's an extra spring to everyone's step, we have gorgeous sunflowers radiating in the tasting room ... and it feels like white wine weather.

In or around Anchorage on Thursday, March 26? We'll be pouring our wines at Specialty Imports' 10th annual Symphony of Wines, a wine tasting that benefits the Anchorage Symphony.

Upcoming: Spring Release Day! Saturday, April 25th, from 1-4 p.m. at the winery. Join us to try our new releases!

And now off to open the doors - it's too beautiful outside not to!

Tony Cartlidge's paella for a cause

2009-03-05T13:36:00.001-08:00

Two posts in one day, good golly! This is time-sensitive, so check it out now!

The one, the only, the Tony Cartlidge is participating in the tenth annual Forever Young benefit fundraiser for the Young School on March 6th. Tickets to the auction (at the Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, which is sooooo beautiful at sunset!) are sold out, but proxy bidding online is open until noon on Friday. You can email or fax your forms. I'm having to hold myself back from bidding on this one:

B4. Paella, Wine, and Tall Tales at Smith-Madrone

Tony Cartlidge of Cartlidge & Browne Winery will prepare his famous seafood paella for a group of 40 people at Smith-Madrone Winery on top of Spring Mountain. Enjoy the views from the mountain and tales of the wine wars from Tony and Stu Smith, who together have more than 60 years of experience making and selling fine wines around the world. Wines to be enjoyed with the paella will be from Cartlidge & Browne Winery, Smith-Madrone, and Trivium.

Event date: To be scheduled when mutually convenient two months in advance.

Winemakers at work, Wine Club at play

2009-03-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

(We had to make this photo teensy-tiny for the email newsletter, and VP of Awesomeness Marc wanted to see it up close) A few weeks ago, winemakers Paul Moser & Rebecca Scharding Steinschriber tasted through wines with members of the C&B Wine Club. The barrels they're next to hold lots of the 2008 Snows Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - and they brought a barrel sample of that wine in addition to the 2006 Snows Lake Cab. Yum!

Somehow a promised half an hour turned into an hour plus! They talked Austrian wine, working with small lots of Malbec for the first time ever, the aging curve of Lot 205 versus C&B, vineyard sites ...

BTW, on Open That Bottle Night, I saved my Mount Veeder Cabernet (it was a 2005, way too early even for OTBN) but pulled out an expensive Chardonnay (for me! I don't like paying more than $15 for Chardonnay) and cracked it open with our neighbor, who is one of the biggest Chard fans I know. It was a Beringer Reserve and had oodles of creaminess and butteriness. It still makes me a bit nervous to open pricey bottles ~ so, this was the perfect opportunity!

Open That Bottle Night!

2009-02-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher are wonderful - their Wall Street Journal columns are wonderful, their book, Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage, is wonderful, and their brainchild, Open That Bottle Night, is simply wonderful.

This Saturday marks the 10th(!) Open That Bottle Night! Here's their thought behind it:

"You know that bottle of wine you've been keeping around for that special occasion that never arrives or because the wine is always going to be better tomorrow?

Open that bottle!"

That prompting - along with one of my 2009 goals to drink 25 bottles out of my cellar (closet) before I buy any more wine - means I'll probably be opening a Mount Veeder Cabernet. Nothing too crazy.

Last Saturday our winemaker, Paul Moser, mentioned opening a 23-year-old Mouton Rothschild that ended up being still too young ... at first glance, he would not be a candidate for OTBN. But he too wrestles with: What if the wine is over the hill? What if I'm not around by the time it's ready to drink? What if?

Sometimes you just have to do what you gotta do. And in this case, open that bottle.

What are you opening up?

California sunshine, Napa mists, bottling Chardonnay

2009-02-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a topsy-turvy month! We finally had a deluge of rain, and then everything dried up once again. Supposedly we are in for more rain starting Saturday night. I adore rainy Februarys, so here's hoping.

The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers has been taking place at Meadowood the last few days, and I greatly enjoyed reading NY Times wine writer Eric Asimov's "From the Mists of Napa" post:

Greetings from Napa Valley, where, since I arrived on Sunday, I’ve seen nothing but cold rain. You would think this would be a blow to smug Californians, who generally feel that sunshine and warmth are their reward for living in such a beautiful place, but no. When asked about the rain, they to a person feign sincerity and say, “We really needed it.’’

I blushed. That was me in the tasting room last week. I love the commenters who also pled guilty! But no faux sincerity here and I don't think on the part of anyone else. During the downpours, we could see the lovely swirling Napa mists and the green hills from the tasting room, and with tasters from out of town, I fully meant it every time I said we missed the sunshine but absolutely really needed the rain.

Here at the winery, we are bottling 2007 Lot 205 Chardonnay today! Hooray! (we sold out of the 2006 here at the tasting room a few weeks ago)

Winemaker Paul Moser says, "The wine has a supple, lingering mouthfeel and inviting pear/peach flavors filled out by spicy oak, lychee and butterscotch." Yum!

We just tasted it off the bottling line (no bottle shock the first day), and it's fantastic!

HAPPY FRIDAY!